Taxi Driver Online

Well that is obviously correct and any sane person would probably have done it that way but wasn't this levy first proposed by the Hackney Carraige Trade and not the council? So there is a subtle difference.

JD

But private hire contibute to the running of the licensing department, so in effect they pay without really knowing?

If thats the case then the regime in Sefton is more transparent than Manchesters.



I suppose it would depend upon the survey and what it finds out, potential reduced custom, costs of defending appeals, congestion, latent demand, differing demand in differing areas of the district, customer requirements.

CC

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

Youve been watching South Park again haven't you

CC

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

With all due respect to yourself, I think your missing the point here? It is not about survey funding coming out of licensing funds, its about the Hackney Carriage Trade suggesting a special levy should be imposed on private drivers and then the council implementing that proposal against the wishes of the people it is levied.

I don't know much about the background leading up to this event but it seems these drivers were stitched up somewhere down the line.

Regards

JD

Yet according to the ombudsman the consultation process has been followed.

Regards

CC

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

The ombudsman will only rule on maladministration, he has no jurisdiction on whether or not the policy decision itself, is or was "unreasonable". Only a court of law has that power? That is why I said the ombudsman was not the route to take.

Regards

JD

It's not about laws and procedures, it's about the ethical dimesion.

Although, as I've said a couple of times in this thread but you consistently ignore, the obmbudsman's superficial view of the trade takes no cognisance of the various competing interests.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

But if a proper auditable account of the licensing department's budget is available then the inspection thereof would reveal what's going on?

I say this because didn't you perform such an inspection in respect of Gateshead in the past regarding licesning fees?

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Ethics and licensing laws TDO? have you been reading the bible again?

With regards to the second paragraph of your post, if we ever get an NTA scrabble team organised, I want you on my side

CC

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

Not the bible; the Koran in fact

And I probably won't be joining the NTA's scrabble team, but I might well launch a jihad against it.

And if anyone doesn't get that, ask the Pope

(And I apologise to the politically correct if this joke offends )

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

If its makes any difference, the NTA has no policy as regards to the number of letters allowed in scrabble

CC

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

some questions that haven't been answered by anyone;

Were the fees advertised in a local newspaper? If so could this not be considered as consultation?

Were any objections received?

Did the LA consider these objections?

Obviously if the LA have failed to carry out the correct procedure the fees are invalid, but I very much doubt this is the case.

regards

CC

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

I doubt Mr JD has travelled to Sefton and asked the PH drivers how they actually feel about this levy ........... prefering to apply his own feelings on the subject in his condemnation of Sefton's actions.

The other thing that I feel also needs to be mentioned at this point is that all the interested groups seem to have been represented at this meeting ............ I don't believe even you would expect representatives to attend without requesting things that are in the best interest of the people they are there to represent, OR to sit by and allow a proposal to be accepted which was, in your opinion, so clearly to their members detriment.

B. Lucky

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

This is the 3rd attempt to get sefton to investigate this complaint, started this one September 2006.

Environmental Protection Department
3rd Floor Balliol House
Stanley Precinct
Bootle
L20 3AH
Telephone: 0151 934 2100
Fax:0151 934 4276
Minicom: 0151 934 4657
Email: Epd@environmental.sefton.gov.uk Our Ref:019076
Your Ref:
Please Contact: David Packard 11th September 2006



Re: £2 Levy for hackney carriage unmet demand survey

I refer to your complaint regarding Sefton Councils imposition of a £2 levy on all private hire and hackney carriage licence fees from April 2001 to fund unmet demand surveys and your dissatisfaction with the Trading Standards Managers response to your complaint into how this decision came about (attached).



If you are still not satisfied with the Councils internal investigation or advice in relation to this matter, you are at liberty to take your complaint to the independent Local Authority Ombudsman, whose role is to investigate claims of local authority maladministration. Their contact details can be found below.

Yours sincerely



David Packard
Assistant Director

I have not taken the Ombudsman route, this is sefton councils reply.