TAXI TESTING DECISION ON TENDERS

As you are well aware the Taxi Licensing Section have been asked to put out to tenders for the provision of providing the testing of licenced and potentially licensed vehicles.

The Board had asked for a minimum of 7 garages to provide the Compliance Testing of Vehicle on behalf of the Council.

The Council only recieved TWO tenders.

At its meeting of 3rd September it was resolved that the Chair of the Board, along with the Cheif Licensing Officer were to open and look at teh two tenders recieved and to report back to the Board hearing of the 6th October 2009.

At its hearing of 6th October 2009, the report stated that although a full evealuation was not undertaken it was clear from the tenders that both would have increased the costs of Licensees significantly.

The Board after considering the report and with input from the trades associates who were all representated at the meetings to:-

Take Option 6.2 as set out below.

6.2 To maintain the current testing arrangements and ask the Head of Transport Services to
provide the services for a the period as determined in the tender minimum period of 2 years, plus 1 year after which a further policy review will be reported to the Licensing Board.

6.3 If 6.2 is chosen as the option the Board to give instruct the Head of Transport Services to attend Licensing Board Policy meetings and to have managers available to attend any taxi and private hire consultation meetings or taxi liaison group where requested.

6.4 If 6.2 is chosen as an option instruct the Head of Transport Services to adopt the new compliance testing procedures as presented to this Board on the 3rd June 2009.

THE ABOVE COMPLIANCE TESTING PROCERDURES ARE AVAILABLE IN DOCUMENT FORM FROM THE TAXI LICENSING SECTION AT A COST OF £5 per booklet.

All that work for you guys and all the excitement only to find nothing's changed