None received.

The minutes of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee meeting dated 12^th January 2021 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

We received a report to extend the existing contracts for garages authorised by the Council to carry out inspections of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles.

In doing so the following points were noted:

·         In response to questions raised the Principal Licensing Officer stated that with regard to testing within the garages, these garages have to be MOT garages providing MOT standard inspections.  The inspection provided complies with Monmouthshire County Council policy.  Therefore, the inspection provided is over and above an MOT inspection.

·         The County Council’s Trading Standards Department is available to undertake test purchases if it is considered that a garage is not undertaking its testing measures competently.

We resolved:

(i)            to extend the contract for authorised inspection garages for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022.

(ii)          that a new contract be issued to the existing inspection garages, commencing 1st April 2022.

We received an information report for future consideration of the review of the Taxi and Private Hire Policy and Conditions 2020, adopted by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 23rd June 2020.

In doing so the following points were noted:

·         When the policy has been presented to the Licensing and Regulatory Committee for approval in due course, the consultation period will then run for a three month period.

·         All taxi drivers receive enhanced DBS checks. Operators receive a basic DBS check, unless they are operator / drivers, then they will receive an enhanced DBS check.

·         All proprietors of vehicle holders will have a basic DBS check, going forward.

·         Going forward, any operators that employ a person must keep a register of employees who will be required to have received a basic DBS check.

·         This policy document is requesting that training for Members must be undertaken.  However, Monmouthshire County Council has always undertaken training for Licensing and Regulatory Committee Members. Future training will incorporate role play to better understand the training being provided.

·         The full report with a summary of the main points of the changes will be sent to Committee Members.

We noted the Department of Transport’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, dated July 2020.

Tuesday 23^rd March 2021 at 10.00am.