Taxi Driver Online

Dont worry.....the Law commission will address this motley crew

ffs page after page on dereg and f*ck all about fees

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

But they have said fees would be set nationally, which would end all this messing around by councils.

Councils no-longer setting local fees is one of the main issues in the report(s) that I totally agree with.

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IDFIMH

I would like to see the calculation they need to assess how a license fee takes account of cross border checks....in particular how a council is remunerated.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

That will be an argument some of us might use to try and keep some sort of local control on PH standards.

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IDFIMH

FUNDING LICENSING AND ENFORCEMENT
19.29 Funding is a key element of effective enforcement. Under the current law licensing is generally self-funding.

We noted in Chapter 2 that the law on licence fees is in some respects unclear and leaves gaps. For example the legislation governing license fees in England and Wales (outside of London) does not expressly cover enforcement costs in respect of drivers and operators (although it does for vehicles).

This may be regarded as an anomaly.

On the other hand, the distinction between administration costs and enforcement can be useful.

Administration costs could be more uniform across England and Wales (and more amenable for example to a national fee) compared to enforcement costs which will necessarily vary significantly between licensing authorities. This can be particularly significant because our provisional proposals envisage mandatory national standards for private hire services and the facilitation of cross-border work. Larger urban authorities that attract work from neighbouring rural licensing areas will have significantly greater enforcement costs.

Appropriate funding arrangements will be heavily influenced by broader budgetary considerations across local government.

It only suggests fees will be the same nationally......however, it would appear they are talking gobbledygook in the broader sense.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Well my reading of it is that the Administration part of a the fee could/should be be more uniform (or Nationally set in other words).

But the Enforcement costs could/should be variable (or Locally set in other words).

This to my mind, drives a "Handsome Cab" through their rationale, as every LA will therefore charge different amounts. So, back to square one, it would seem.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

As the court case published this week suggests, enforcement shouldnt be a burden on license fee payers.....and as someone wise from down south told me, if they cant pay for it from license fees, then general taxation would have to take the cost......which will please council tax payers no end in honeypot areas.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I don't disagree - I was giving you the benefit of my reading of that part of the Consultation which you quoted.

If however, you want my view on the position that should be adopted, I would suggest a National Rate to include Administration and Enforcement. Then the ability for the Urban area with large expenditure to extract the needed funds from the Rural area whose Licensed Vehicles "cross the border" and who therefore have a balance in credit and a Licensing Enforcement team who should be redundant.

Not easy I know, but it's their (the LA's) problem, not mine.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

I have a better idea, dont allow cross border in the first place

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I don't disagree with that point either, and I may be slipping into the "CC - it's a done deal" frame of mind.

I don't mean to as I think that the LC will take on-board what they learn from consultation responses and things are not predetermined.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Someone told me a year or so ago the thing was a done deal....just a matter of going through the motions, dotting the i's and crossing the t's......I have little reason to disbelieve my source now.

I am really surprised by the niavety of some though - for an expansive document going into great detail on things like cross border hirings and deregulation - there has been precious little about fees - nothing about ranking - and whilst national standards are mentioned - there is nothing set - to agree to a national standard, when a person doesnt know what the standard will be is quite incredible - especially given the track record of PH operators.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I don't think any potential Act should set fees, that would be counterproductive, every time Fees needed to be raised (or lowered) a new act would be needed. That is not to say the Act shouldn't stipulate how the Fee should be calculated.

In the same way a potential Act should not set the "Standards" - if the 1847 Act had done so we would probably still be refueling with Hay and Oats and a tyre change would be a new metal rim on the wheels - but it should designate how and who should set the standards.

As to PH operators - I'm in Plymouth - say no more.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Well every change in the document is only a suggestion.

But you of course omitted the following paragraph, which says:



And although I haven't got the luxury of a hard copy, using the Acrobat reader search facility to find the word 'fees' suggests there's a fair bit more about the subject in specific contexts - eg cross-border enforcement and licences for accessible vehicles - thus it's clearly a complex area, and although the LC's failure to make specific recommendations may seem like a bit of a cop out, on the other hand you can see where they're coming from.

Thus an opportunity for you to impart your views and wisdom on the subject in your submission rather than sounding off on here?

So you now agree with Unite the Union.

That took you over a year to come round to their way of thinking!!

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Didn't the LG(MP) Act 1976 do just that?

IMMSMC there was mention of one fee at £25. It didn't stop fees subsequently rising.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.