Agenda item

The Service Director Legal Services will submit a report on the outcome of the consultation on the request received from the Barnsley Hackney Carirage Association for an increase in the current Hackney Carriage Tariff.

Further to Minute No 14 of the meeting held on the 29^th September, 2021, the Service Director Legal Services submitted a report on the outcome of the consultation on the request received from the Barnsley Hackney Carriage Association for an increase in the current Hackney Carriage Tariff.

Mr R Taylor (Secretary of the Barnsley Hackney Carriage Association), and Messrs M Brennan and S Kilgariff (Members of the Barnsley Hackney Carriage Association) attended the meeting at the invitation of the Chair.  Their role was only to answer any technical questions Members might have in relation to the proposed increase and not to give additional information in support of their request.  No such questions were raised.

Members were reminded that the proposal sought an increase of 40p for the first 1760 yards or part thereof.  It also sought to change the times when Tariff 2 would become effective from 11pm to 8pm in order to encourage more drivers at unsociable hours, and bring the super rate from 1am from 3am, giving an incentive for working unsociable hours, which in turn would help reduce queuing.

The report indicated that 7 responses had been received to the consultation, four against, two in favour and one which was more supportive of the availability for both Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles to support the infrastructure developments within the Town Centre.  It was also reported that Members of this Committee who had submitted representations were not in attendance at this meeting and would not, therefore, take part in the discussion or voting on this item.

Members of the Board considered the representation submitted in detail.  The general consensus was, however, that the case for an increase in the tariff was well made and should be supported.

After considering all the representations made it was:

RESOLVED that the request of the Barnsley Hackney Carriage Association be supported, and the Hackney Carriage Tariff as detailed within Appendix 1 to the report now submitted be approved and implemented forthwith.