( However, if you'd rather complain directly, you can use the above address to contact Wolverhampton City Council. As of the middle of last month, there were 2,634 applications in the queue, with 1,924 processed but awaiting more information from the applicant. endobj The authoritys total income from private hire and Hackney Carriage licensing was 157,482. In response to your request, please see attached our response to your [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] Taxi and cab drivers have staged go-slow protests against the current regulations around the country, saying they leave the public at risk. stream The BBC has been unable to determine whether the drivers accused of offences have faced criminal proceedings. (Q@QH((((((((aEP2Sk`(= It is intended solely for the addressee. Applications from Kilmarnock, Edinburgh, Perth and Kirkcaldy were received by Wolverhampton Council last year, as the authority granted 15,171 licences to extend its dominance over the British private hire market. Before becoming a driver,. The Councils Guidelines are regularly reviewed and as of November 2022 are currently under review pending the anticipated publication of Government Best Practice Guidance. . Download SocietyWorks Ltd To apply/renew your driver or vehicle licence follow the links below. J)h )(h (%-PHii(cRHR})sG4sE J`(4QH((EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEP2Q[)R Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. Wolverhampton Council launched The Additional Restriction Grant - Taxi and Private Hire Grant Scheme to help drivers across the city. 7 0 obj ]k w79`Yu-i%r!H106 43@QX-Wq/ "What is really important is that we make sure we bring the taxi drivers in on this. Download Under the plans, those with specific previous convictions would face minimum bans "in all but truly exceptional circumstances". Use Resolver to make a complaint. Across 2021 and 2022, 55% of applicants failed this assessment. ( (%-% ii(BsKIh9O/4 GS jJV ( ^j@J(QH((((((( The data was provided in a Freedom of Information request. None of the councils for the areas where offences were alleged could confirm whether they had been made aware of the suspect driver operating in their area. ofWolverhampton Council . ( But it added: "We are currently developing a referral mechanism that would inform, in writing, all the relevant safeguarding, policing and licensing authorities in an area when we take action in relation to a driver licensed by us, but operating in their area.". list by name and contact details of private hire vehicle operators licensed to/by Wolverhampton council 2020 Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. 2. Weve helped millions of people find a resolution. The Council has never refused a request from a licensing authority for a compliance operation in their area. 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? ( This may only be completed by a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner. The service has never failed an audit. ( and if anyexemptionsapplyto some or all ofthe information then we These guidelines have been consulted on with the industry, police, courts and all other councils. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error The Council also considers whether the complaints against the driver necessitate consideration by the Disclosure and Barring Service for the former driver to be added to the children and/or vulnerable adults barred lists. ( L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council The vehicle is then checked in person by our trained vehicle inspectors. Wolverhampton Council has always defended its position, stating that it oversees enforcement operations all over the country, and that any profits it makes from licensing are ploughed back into the scheme. Our reference: 1386425, Response all information to be supplied.pdf, 96K ( It prompted licensing bosses at Wolverhampton Council to streamline its application process and slash the prices of licences leading to a dramatic increase in applications. Keep all your correspondence in one place, Go straight to the correct contact point within an organisation, Make use of a series of simple templates to help make raising your complaint as simple and quick as possible, Receive reminders when you get a response from a company or organisation, Get an automatic notification when it's appropriate to escalate your case to the next management level within a company, Package up and send off the whole history of your complaint to an ombudsman or other regulatory body if necessary. EP 30 March 2022. It will see eligible drivers receive a one-off payment of. ( Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, This policy relates to surveillance cameras, also. This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions stream <> The report noted there had been a decline in the number of private hire drivers nationally since 2020, possibly, it said, because drivers had left the industry after seeing a loss of trade during the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation has led to a chaotic picture emerging around the country, with authorities unable to control all cabbies working in their area. 8 0 obj Yours faithfully 2023 BBC. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council (JaIKE9R@J_sMjJ ZJU%0 We are an entirely independent issue-resolution tool that enables the raising and handling of consumer issues, making complaining simpler for everyone. (05798215). Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? We take passengers safety and wellbeing seriously. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) ( ( Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. The applicant is also checked against the National Anti-Fraud Networks (NAFN) National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). You are now required to show photoID when voting at a polling station at the elections on May 4th. Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Please provide number of complaints received by council in relation to uber taxis from 2015-2019 . Meanwhile Walsall Council received just 48 new applications for licences last year, when it had a total of 1,129 private hire drivers registered. <> Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. City of Wolverhampton Council has increased the number of licences it issues eightfold since the Deregulation Act 2015 was introduced, meaning drivers no longer needed to live or work in the area of the local authority that granted them a licence. 'Downloads' section of the Council's Taxi Licences webpage). We provide commercial Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, services through our wholly owned subsidiary (PE QE Q@ EPEPEPEPQGE Q J( City of Wolverhampton Council Taxi Licensing Safeguarding Statement, A face-to-face English assessment (followed by a recorded interview where there are any concerns), Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Ebrahim Suleman, former chairman of West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association, said "99.9% of drivers" were honest and hard working but a minority used loopholes to get a licence. "In terms of my experience working on the front line and from working in some cases, there are some drivers that are predatory. ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayubs appeal against Wolverhampton Councils decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. Please notify has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of If not, we will refer your complaint to the manager responsible for the service you're unhappy with. Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayub's appeal against Wolverhampton Council's decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. ago In Wolverhampton they can use older taxis That's the main reason 13 blake-a-mania 8 mo. ( Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from JZ(99(J ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((EPEPER(96 u&?JC ( Less teenagers have meningitis protection since before pandemic, Coronation uproar as Birmingham residents react to allegiance pledge with everyone saying same thing, A new independent pizza restaurant is coming to Harborne & its giving away free pizzas, More than 20,000 Russians dead in Bakhmut, US says, Rita Ora and Karlie Kloss arrive at the Met Gala, France May Day protests leave dozens of police injured. 9 0 obj endobj The topic of taxi safety comes after the case of "black cab rapist" John Worboys, who police believe may have carried out more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults on women he picked up in London between 2002 and 2008. In the last year, we have covered: These operations are conducted in partnership with officers from the respective licensing authority, as well as the local police force and representatives from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). ( Importantly, our driver conditions dictate that drivers must cooperate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas. Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met. Taxi drivers 'missing out on Covid . )(((h(QE On April 29, 2020, council officers received a complaint that Ayub, aged 25, had picked up a passenger who had not pre-booked, which is a requirement of both her private hire licence and car insurance policy. the use of this email or attachments. Where there is information on the applicants DBS certificate, this is considered in accordance with the Councils Guidelines. A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. "But there are some who will use their position of power and authority to take advantage of vulnerable people, particularly as taxi journeys are often one-on-one situations. The overall figure for last year was up 25 per cent on 2018, and represented an 18-fold increase on the 833 licences the authority handed out in 2015. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? ( Taxi and Private Hire licensing within South Staffordshire is administrated on behalf of the Council by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Licensing team from April 2022. "At the moment, some drivers can take advantage of a loophole where they can apply to get a licence in an authority that has less stringent assessments and ply their trade in an area which does. ( ( (@QE The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. "Since 2015 I know that there have been more complaints over sexual harassment, accidents in taxis and illegal pick-ups, all different things have been going on. It showed that in 2019 a total of 11,461 applications to Wolverhampton Council came from drivers based in Birmingham, while there were 2,457 from Manchester, 1,926 from Coventry, 1,279 from Leicester, 1,102 from Nottingham and 432 from Telford. ( Governance If we decide a fee is payable, we will View our cookie policy here. Taxi drivers licensed by a council which is accused of threatening public safety are suspected of serious sexual offences. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. endstream Over the same period Wolverhampton Council had 1,018 applications from private hire drivers based in Walsall. Further information about the vehicles and drivers licensed for South Staffordshire are available on ourInformation for Passengers page. the author immediately by replying to this email. On April 29, 2020, council officers received a. Responsible for local and national political stories, opinion, comment and analysis. disseminate the information contained within this e-mail. It is only after these checks have been satisfied that an applicant can become a licensed driver. ( The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money. might not provide that informationto you. DearL Thompson ( ( They will investigate your complaint and respond to you direct. Enquiries are made with those authorities and any previous complaints considered with the Councils Guidelines. Prof Rod Thomson, Shropshire Council's director of public health, said the authority was "concerned that public safety is being threatened and environmental aspirations diluted in cases where drivers and vehicle proprietors 'shop around' to be licensed by local authorities that demand lower standards and then exclusively or predominantly work in an area or areas where standards are higher and licences more difficult to obtain". Wolverhampton Finally, the driver must attend our offices in person, where they undergo facial verification against their driving licence and proof of right to work in the UK. ( ( WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. In some case, a fee may be payable. Councillor Philip Page, chairman of the councils regulatory committee, said: We take public safety very seriously at Wolverhampton. Read about our approach to external linking. Learn more about Resolver Pro and how to claim your business. Yours faithfully, Photo: Wolverhampton Council Drivers gathered outside. What action has been taken by Wolverhampton council? If you need to book a wheelchair accessible vehicle this is a list of thecurrent licensed providers. ( Get started. Number of Private hire taxi operators who have breached their operators licence conditions including name of operator and details of breaches from 2017 -2019, Information request Taxi complaints Wolverhampton City Council. A driver working in Southampton when a serious sexual allegation was made against him in October 2017, A Wolverhampton taxi driver accused of being involved in child sexual exploitation on 16 June 2017 in Bolsover, Derbyshire, A serious sexual allegation recorded as taking place in Mansfield, more than 70 miles away, on 3 October 2016, One allegation of CSE made in Shropshire in January 2018 along with two other serious sexual allegations in 2017, In Telford, where authorities have dealt with. have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present. We provide commercial Has the incident been reported to the police. Predators can use relaxed rules to become taxi drivers and gain access to vulnerable passengers, a victim's charity said. ( Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people. This includes when drivers are operating outside of Wolverhampton, where drivers are expected to co-operate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas. Then like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. It licences drivers from around the UK including Scotland, Manchester and Nottingham. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. privacy legislation. <> Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people. His comments follow reports last year that councillors in the West Midlands had criticised The City of Wolverhampton Council for operating a "more lenient" licensing system for private hire. Mr Ashford welcomed news of the government's proposals for tougher legislation. The report made furthest from the West Midlands city came from a complainant more than 150 miles away. Papers found the situation had emerged since the government in 2015 ruled drivers could register anywhere in the country, not just their local area. Where a matching record is found, information is requested from the licensing authority and a licence will not be granted until this information is considered. Email:[email protected]: (01902) 696000, Sign up to receive news and updates from South Staffordshire Council. We willcarry outan assessment ( A total of 170 taxis were inspected by our dedicated Roads Policing Unit, in line with COVID and road safety regulations. Wolverhampton Council, Wolverhampton Council hands out 15,000 taxi licences in one year to drivers across UK By Peter Madeley Wolverhampton Transport Published: Jan 10, 2020 Comments Wolverhampton Council. xUMo0#HMH,mQ-Uki66>X{o<3n|uYK6+m But only a small fraction of the new licence holders are operating in the city, with some drivers working hundreds of miles away in Scotland. except where the sender specifically states these to be the views n)=_} bRqHCD@[WP,=|B2Ho|Sc$+! 2023 BBC. 5 0 obj (E 4.h i)h(@ E QF( jZ;PEhRCRhZ%4 City of Wolverhampton Council Private Hire & Hackney Carriage Complaint Procedure Please provide your details so we can keep you informed on the outcome of the complaint you wish to raise.. Navdeep Nijjar Councillor Mike Bird, the leader of Walsall Council, said he favoured a change in legislation as the current system was making a mockery of local authority licensing laws. All rights reserved. Resolver can help you send your complaints to Wolverhampton City Council. This week, the government said it was tightening taxi safety guidelines and considering stopping drivers from operating hundreds of miles away from where they were licensed. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 594.96 842.04] /Contents 4 0 R/StructParents 0>> Drivers must undergo medical certification to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2 Standards. send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before The court heard that Ayub frequently carried the passenger without their journeys being pre-booked through a licensed private hire vehicle operator which is illegal and contrary to Section 45 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847. Donate and support our work. Taxi drivers licensed by a council which is accused of threatening public safety are suspected of serious sexual offences. )((((QE( ( ( ( ( ( ))h9G4:9 4wE/4 sIJ ( 9h *99CKE %@ Z ( AQ@E4 Q9j QF J QJ QT ( ZCKE EP RRQE QI@ERQE Q@RSQE!R (RR}iMHJ^hhsG4sG4 sAz(`QK@ ER ( ) QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE( [JQIJ> h J(QK) )?% -J (KI@Q@- QKI@Q@Q@Q@%- QE EPQKI@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@Q@ E-% (()9G4QH99hh hhhJZ J)h( (QE(QE 4 0 obj "There have been several consultations about the private hire trade and he appears to be playing catch up. This request has been closed to new correspondence. of how you may appeal (if appropriate). CCTV may also be fitted to cars, with an encrypted system so footage could only be accessed if a crime was reported. In the last five years the city council has received applications from 325 miles away in Perth a six-hour drive from the city, and 254 miles away in Truro, Cornwall, which takes almost five hours to get to by car. mySociety (IKFh I@Q@ E- QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE RR ( ( ) sG4sH999999( ()i)h( (QE ( It is examining a range of proposals, including making taxi and private hire. (QA!EPEPEPES ) QE QE ( 2000andwe aim to senda response by4 December 2019. Well always be on hand with guidance and support to help you get the results youre looking for. (05798215). ( Wolverhampton licensing bosses have insisted they informed relevant authorities when serious reports of crimes were made, but several councils have told the BBC they were unaware of the allegations. Write to our Complaints Manager, City of Wolverhampton Council, Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1RL Ask a friend, a relative, advocate or anyone to contact us your behalf Make sure you give us as much information as possible. @RRQE%0(JZ (QE Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules', Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, US rock band Aerosmith announce farewell tour, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool. ^hibQE( ZJ(EPEPER ( ( ( ( ( ( (QE( E6) E:hwAKKAIKI@Q@IE QE R(4 J )hi( (i( We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. Consumer guides, newsletters, surveys and more! Concerns have also been raised over passenger safety. Wolverhampton Council currently operates a Get Home Safe campaign which seeks to make sure the public are aware of the differences between hiring hackney carriages and private hire vehicles. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? ( Want to help others get their issues sorted fast or see the latest updates about how Resolver can help you? Freedom of Information Act 2000 Donate and support our work. 1 0 obj ( "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is fit and proper, a licence is granted. Wolverhampton Council has cornered the market, but you have to question whether it is right that a driver can get a licence there but ply their trade hundreds of miles away, he said. Let us know what you think has gone wrong and how you think we can correct it. 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? It just seems like the budget line comes first above everything.. C " ( proceeding with your request. It's quick, easy and (best of all) it's free. ( Just raise a case and leave feedback after. request. Is climate change killing Australian wine? (Q@(((ER ( (( );R QG4s@4Q4 3G4PRSi PE%EPG4Q The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of When questioned by council officers, Ayub, of Broadway, in Shirley, Solihull, said the increased cost was a result of coronavirus. Read about our approach to external linking. Placing members of the public at unnecessary risk by taking a booking without valid insurance is unacceptable.. Freedom of Information Act 2000 % requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details (Q@QH( "I was sitting in the back of the taxi and he put his hand on my knee". I understand they may feel like they're being unfairly targeted but you know this is about protecting children and protecting drivers' business reputation.". The application fee for a New Private Hire Driver licence is 64.00 for a 1 year licence or 120.00 for a 3 year licence and must be paid electronically as part of this application process. Please note, if you are not willing to provide a witness statement we may be unable to process your complaint fully. The driver can only undertake work in a vehicle licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. Any breach of this condition would be looked on most unfavourably: 3.9 A private hire licence is a badge of approval, it states the Local Authority feels the holder is fit and proper and suitable in every way. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? Send your story ideas to: [email protected], Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money, Taxi drivers 'missing out on Covid payments', Generations of Wolves speedway fans turn out in force to the first meeting since bombshell stadium news, Stourbridge shoppers 'intimidated by aggressive begging' in town centre. ofWolverhampton Council . You can be certain that youre talking to the right person at the right time. He backed plans for a government review into licensing, saying it should "bring it up-to-date and to create a regime that is fit for the 21st Century". Read about our approach to external linking. <> If their licence is revoked, this decision is recorded on NR3S, in case the driver tries to apply for a licence at another authority. except where the sender specifically states these to be the views Governance Once a driver is granted, we continue to monitor them. This training is only available in English and covers the following: This syllabus is regularly reviewed, including with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Partnership Strategic Exploitation Co-ordinator. 2 0 obj ago Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, the government said it was tightening taxi safety guidelines, increased the number of licences it issues, sign up for local news updates direct to your phone, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Disney faces countersuit in feud with Florida, US rock band Aerosmith announce farewell tour, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules', Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month. services through our wholly owned subsidiary We will inform youif this is The authority said it dealt with complaints robustly, with all safeguarding issues dealt with within a day "regardless of where the driver is in the country". Raheel Shah, chairman of Wolverhampton Private Hire Drivers' Association and a taxi driver himself, said: "We have been protesting for more than three years over this. Its quick, easy and totally free. complaints against drivers, are less likely to occur in an environment . (h-! (%P P0PH(h@ vZ( (( PQ[PKE))h4 QEIK@QZJ )h@ E-% - RPQE -PEPEPEPEPEPHih( (( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((JZ@QE QE H9@ %/4sI@ E- QE% QK@ EP0(QE(QE QE %-S ) QE RQFhi)i( (E4hz ?hh 94P JZ(4 i(9(E -'4G4:9CG4 RJ) JB1E RP~( IE(ABQE Where there are concerns about applicants suspected of involvement in historic child sex exploitation investigations, further vetting is undertaken by the National Crime Agency (NCA). . Slower processing times and higher fees elsewhere had encouraged many drivers to choose Wolverhampton. i90#?WHB CH 7:+ 6YgY]BPU8q-HG-b%+aK`y=DUFB%2)x$T'oSz+!
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