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The Committee received a report from the Environmental
Health Manager, referring to the introduction of mandatory safeguarding training
for all licensed hackney carriage, private hire and dual drivers, properties
and operators. This would increase safeguarding awareness and provide the taxi
trade with information and skills to recognise their responsibilities and what
to do if they have any concerns about the safety or welfare of an individual.
Safeguarding also applies to the drivers themselves.
In response to the Committee’s questions, the Environmental
Health Manager and the Licensing & Enforcement Manager confirmed the following:
i.
The subject of domestic violence had been
included in the wider safeguarding issue and would welcome further
conversations with Councillors outside of this meeting.
ii.
The application form which is sent to the
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) would be completed by the individual but
sent from the City Council. The response would be returned to the driver, who
would have to produce the completed document to the Officer who would review
the DBS check and sign off before the licence could be issued.
iii.
The ‘Prevent’ agenda had been considered and
some Local Authorities who have used this as part of their Safeguarding training
are in areas where there is a high population of ethnic minorities or known
extremist groups. However there would be
training delivered on this; training would include the safeguarding of children
but details had not yet been finalised.
iv.
Drivers Licences were valid for one or three
years and then needed to be renewed.
v.
New drivers would have to undertake the
knowledge test, DBS check and the Safegaurding
training as part of the licence application.
vi.
DBS checks were relevant to the trade which the
individual worked in and generally are not portable. It was possible for an
individual to have more than one DBS check.
vii.
To have a ladies only taxi firm would be viewed
as positive discrimination. Individuals have a choice whether to use a taxi
driven by a male or female.
viii.
Policy did state that drivers must inform City
Council Officers of any arrests / motoring offences that occur during the three
year period.
ix.
An interactive knowledge test would be included
as part of the training to demonstrate that the information had been
understood.
Councillor Bick proposed the following amendment to the
recommendation (additional text underlined) to recommendations 2.2 and 2.3 of
the Officer’s reports.
2.2 Members agree to a change in policy to
include the requirement that all new hackney carriage, private hire and dual
driver, proprietor and operator applicants attend mandatory and successfully
complete safeguarding training before submitting an application.
2.3 Members agree that a programme be developed
to ensure that all existing licensed drivers, proprietors and operators
undertake the training (free of charge) and successfully complete within
12 months so that all licence holders will be trained by 1 November 2017.
Members resolved (nem com) to
accept the additional wording to the recommendations.
The Committee:
Resolved unanimously
to:
i.
Agree to the introduction of
mandatory safeguarding
training for all new and existing hackney carriage, private hire and dual drivers, proprietors
and operators with effect
from
1 November 2016.
ii.
Members agree to a change in policy to include the requirement that all new
hackney carriage, private hire and dual driver, proprietor and
operator applicants attend mandatory and successfully complete safeguarding training before
submitting an application.
iii.
Members agree that a programme be developed
to
ensure that all existing licensed drivers, proprietors
and
operators undertake the
training (free of charge)
and successfully complete within 12 months
so
that all licence holders will
be trained by 1 November 2017.
iv.
Members agree that mandatory safeguarding update training is undertaken three yearly by all licence holders
to
ensure understanding
of processes and to keep updated on any changes.
v.
Members agree to amend the
taxi policy at parts 2,
3 and 4 of the policy in accordance with 2.1,
2.2,
2.3 and 2.4 above.