Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Environmental Health Manager.

Under the powers conferred to Cambridge City Council under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, (as amended), Cambridge City Council has responsibility for licensing Hackney Carriage, Private Hire and Dual Licence Drivers as well as vehicle proprietors and Private Hire Operators within the City.

The mandatory installation of CCTV within Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles was agreed by Members in October 2017.

Members of the Licensing Committee in September 2020 agreed an implementation date of 1st April 2022 whereby all taxi and private hire vehicles will have had CCTV installed.

Due to delays in the identification of an approved supplier and the Covid 19 pandemic, the 1st April 2022 implementation will not be met, and further consideration is required following the statutory guidance for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Services.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

      i.          Could points raised by the public speakers at today’s committee be looked at and officially addressed as part of the review? Noted they were responded to verbally today.

In response to public speaker and Members’ questions the Environmental Health Manager said the following:

      i.          Drivers would not be required to install CCTV until the review was complete.

     ii.          South Cambs District Council had not deferred CCTV work until 2023. They were undertaking procurement now. The City Council and SCDC would undertake joint work. There was no implementation date set in the report as the review needed to be completed first. Details on what is feasible/legal would be reviewed then a recommendation proposed for implementation.

Councillor Bennett proposed an amendment to the officer recommendation that Licensing officers return to Licensing Committee in October June 2022 to present outcome of review and proposed implementation dates.

This amendment was unanimously accepted.

The Committee:

Resolved (unanimously) to:

      i.          Approve that Cambridge City Council conduct a review of the requirement of CCTV in licenced vehicles to demonstrate:

a.    necessary to meet a pressing need;

b.    and proportionate need.

     ii.          Approve that Cambridge City Council continue to work with South Cambridgeshire District Council to identify appropriate supplier.

   iii.          Approve that Licensing officers return to Licensing Committee in October 2022 to present outcome of review and proposed implementation dates, if pressing need and proportionate need is met.