Agenda item

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Friday 15 March 2019.

Filming or Recording Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting e.g. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

It was reported that there had been 8 registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Gwen Swinburn spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. She outlined her view that the report had a number of deficiencies  including lack of an Equalities Impact Assessment. She urged the committee to reject the report.

Sidney Gitsham spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. Mr Gitsham suggested that there should be a judicial review and made a number of points in relation to the operation of Uber in York.

Barry Page (YPHA) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. He noted that Uber did not hold an operators licence in York and that there had been a number of incidents involving Uber drivers in York. He suggested that all taxi drivers in York should be regulated.

Michael Palmer (York Private Hire Association (YPHA) Secretary) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. He questioned the validity of the advice given by the Barrister to the Council and he cited specific paragraphs where he disagreed with that advice.

Tony Green (York Hackney Carriage Association (YHCA) Vice Chair) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. He suggested that the Reading Case quoted by the Barrister to the Council was not relevant and cited section 46 of the 1976 Act.

Lauren Senior (YPHA Member) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. She explained the differences between Uber and York taxi drivers in their treatment of customers and she gave examples of how York taxi drivers met the needs of different customers.

Drew Thompson (YPHA Member) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. He noted that the legal opinions to the York Private Hire Association and to City of York Council (as detailed in the annexes to the report), were opinions and therefore the trade’s legal position was as valid as the Council’s legal position.

Alan Rowley (YHCA and YPHA Member) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. In referring to the York Taxi Licensing Policy, he clarified that the trade was asking for the full implementation of the policy. He noted that Uber lost its licence due to not being ‘fit and proper’ and that protecting the public should be a number one priority.

Wendy Loveday (YPHA Chair) spoke on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. She explained that the trade believed that the assessment made by officers was fundamentally flawed and that the authority’s interpretation of its own policy was ambiguous. She asked that the Committee reject the officer recommendation and consider the advice put forward in the legal opinion put forward to the York Private Hire Association.

Cllr Warters, Councillor for Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward spoke on behalf of a taxi driver in his Ward on agenda item 5 Update Report – Private Hire Licensing. He reminded the Committee that the legal opinions put forward were opinions. He noted the potential loss in income to the Council should there be a reduction in taxi licence renewals.