Decision details

The Committee considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on provisions contained in the Equality Act 2010 relating specifically to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trades.

The Assistant Environmental and Technical Services Director and the Trading Standards Manager presented the report and answered questions thereon.

The Chair advised that the implications of the new Act had already been considered by the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Joint Working Group held on 7 December 2010. This meeting had also been attended by the Equalities Director, an Equalities Advisor, representatives from the disabled community and the health and safety officers and following long consideration of the many apparent incongruities of the Act and the difficulties which the hackney carriage and private hire trades would face in having to comply with the Act, it had been agreed that a Sub-Group be formed to consider the implications of the Act with a view to making recommendations to the DfT.  Nominations for the Sub-Group had been invited from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trades, Sefton CVS, the Ability Network, Health and Safety, Merseytravel and the taxi licensing department; and it was proposed that the findings and recommendations of the Sub Group be reported back to the Licensing and Regulatory Committee in 6 months time.

RESOLVED: That