A new report to Walsalls director of public health has outlined concerns over dwindling application numbers. which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of View as HTML. ( We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information A total of 927 drivers were said to be waiting for a hearing to determine their application. Yours faithfully, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In some case, a fee may be payable. The driver can only undertake work in a vehicle licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. 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. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. The BBC has learned there have been seven allegations of child sexual exploitation (CSE) made, and 16 serious sexual allegations against drivers licensed in Wolverhampton. disseminate the information contained within this e-mail. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. "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. In May 2017, the chair of Wolverhampton's licensing committee, Alan Bolshaw, wrote to Sajid Javid, who was then Communities and Local Government Secretary, urging him to create a national database of drivers so that adequate background checks could be carried out, even suggesting the council fund it. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? endobj When we receive a complaint, if the problem is something we can put right straight away, we will. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council endobj 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? The Local Democracy Reporting Service said that since the change in the law, Wolverhampton had invested heavily in its digital licensing service, reducing processing time and cost. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. services through our wholly owned subsidiary 2023 BBC. stream and a limited company (03277032). This may only be completed by a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner. Navdeep Nijjar the author immediately by replying to this email. We provide commercial Thank you for your request for information received on6 November 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. All rights reserved. ( 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". 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. Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". uKIJ( (C %Z %( _(4 PR@%PK ( Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met. Established in 2008. He added there should be a cap on the number of drivers that can be licensed by one authority as it would lead to a "safer and more robust system". Reports of child sexual exploitation are among allegations made. If you hold a current Driver or Vehicle Licence with City of Wolverhampton Council, you will need to register with the "My Licence Portal" to inform of arrests, cautions, charges, convictions and Fixed Penalties as part of your conditions of licence. If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error (h-! (%P P0PH(h@ vZ( (( A total of 170 taxis were inspected by our dedicated Roads Policing Unit, in line with COVID and road safety regulations. 'Downloads' section of the Council's Taxi Licences webpage). This condition empowers officers in other areas and where drivers are breaking the law then other licensing authorities can and do prosecute them. If not, we will refer your complaint to the manager responsible for the service you're unhappy with. 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. Wolverhampton ( Police were informed in all cases, it said. This request has been closed to new correspondence. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk, 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. 6 0 obj Z( sEPEaZ5 )VJZHiZ)Qj4 va@b The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. ( Once a driver is granted, we continue to monitor them. ( ( ( I understand they may feel like they're being unfairly targeted but you know this is about protecting children and protecting drivers' business reputation.". "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. The Council's main objective regarding taxi and private hire licensing are: If you are looking for further information about the requirements, please follow the link toWolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. ( ( We use a state-of-the-art system which uses the same technology as can be found at Border Controls ePassport Gates in UK airports. Resolver can help you send your complaints to Wolverhampton City Council. 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? . might not provide that informationto you. Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/taxi_complaints_4?unfold=1 on May 02, 2023 00:03. <> We automatically connect you to contacts at thousands of household names, ombudsmen and regulators to find a resolution. 1 0 obj The service also undergoes audit each year. This email contains proprietary confidential information some or all of ( which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of We use the DBS Update Service to check drivers DBS certificates every day of the week. They will investigate your complaint and respond to you direct. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? 2019aboutTaxi complaints You can be certain that youre talking to the right person at the right time. please follow the link to Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. 30 March 2022. (Q@Q@QL(EPE% QKI@-%G4s@ %/4sHhy9 94 ) - QG4 sAE- !()hhJ'zVP(g -%(?i ))QCRPE RQHaEPE%- QI@E)i)hQEQE !BQKE u'49hbm8h! Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Reports of child sexual exploitation are among allegations made against drivers licensed in Wolverhampton, but who also operate across England. In response to your request, please see attached our response to your UIE( E-#RQE fQGARPE(EZ())ZNhPKE z 5/4> !P EPER ( ) QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QEQE QIP% ((jGIKGz )(J(( _Z)(Z()h)h (((((( ( LEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPE RE Weve helped millions of people find a resolution. Private hire drivers have been accused of sex crimes over 150 miles away from where they are licensed, Taxi drivers have held protests around the country over cross-border hiring, Taxi drivers in Wolverhampton say they have been protesting about the issue for years. Customer Engagement Officer Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from Resolver is a totally free service that you can use to complain effectively. As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is fit and proper, a licence is granted. These guidelines have been consulted on with the industry, police, courts and all other councils. Contact details. mySociety The applicant is also checked against the National Anti-Fraud Networks (NAFN) National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). TheFreedom of Information Act 2000may restrict the release of some or n)=_} bRqHCD@[WP,=|B2Ho|Sc$+! Subscribe to one or all notification sources from this one place. ( Across the weekend (Friday 18 December and Saturday 19 December), 27 taxi drivers were issued with enforcement action, including defect notices or suspension of licenses. Placing members of the public at unnecessary risk by taking a booking without valid insurance is unacceptable.. ( 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. Drivers must undergo medical certification to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2 Standards. The vehicle proprietor must be registered with the Information Commissioner's The vehicle is then checked in person by our trained vehicle inspectors. 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. City of Wolverhampton Council said it prioritised local taxi driver applications. 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. ( Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Six of the drivers in the CSE reports had their licences taken from them but the seventh complaint was not upheld. With Resolver you can send your case to key ombudsmen and regulators including: Resolver is not affiliated to, linked with or otherwise endorsed by Wolverhampton City Council. View as HTML. "In terms of my experience working on the front line and from working in some cases, there are some drivers that are predatory. Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. Taxi complaints Wolverhampton City Council. NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email. Slower processing times and higher fees elsewhere had encouraged many drivers to choose Wolverhampton. )})( %- RJ- K@ J(i)i( ( Taxi drivers and council colleagues say farewell to Elaine Moreton (centre) who is retiring at the age of 75 after 39 years' service. We need to support the private hire trade in the city and not turn ourselves into a taxi version of Gretna Green. The guidelines have been benchmarked against the Institute of Licensings Guidance and the Governments Statutory Standards and in both documents cases, the Councils rehabilitation periods are longer. Political Editor for the Express & Star. endobj Wolverhampton Council launched The Additional Restriction Grant - Taxi and Private Hire Grant Scheme to help drivers across the city. The customer was charged 15 for a trip to Russells Hall Hospital from her home in Dudley, which is typically priced at 7. Further information about the vehicles and drivers licensed for South Staffordshire are available on ourInformation for Passengers page. JFIF ` ` C services through our wholly owned subsidiary (( ) ( ( L9@sG4s@4sG4s@4sG4s@sKG4( ((((aEP0(QE( ( (`QE 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. J)h )(h (%-PHii(cRHR})sG4sE J`(4QH((EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEP2Q[)R Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Number of Private hire taxi operators who have breached their operators licence conditions including name of operator and details of breaches from 2017 -2019 . Putting things right Complaints process Other options 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". 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. Well always be on hand with guidance and support to help you get the results youre looking for. Read about our approach to external linking. <>/OutputIntents[<>] /Metadata 371 0 R/ViewerPreferences 372 0 R>> Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people. ( We are working with industry leaders, regulators and government to make your voice heard and improve customer service. If you need to make a complaint about a driver or a vehicle, please visit thecomplaints page. Taxi and cab drivers have staged go-slow protests against the current regulations around the country, saying they leave the public at risk. have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present. NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email. the author immediately by replying to this email. 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. Email:licensing@sstaffs.gov.ukTelephone: (01902) 696000, Sign up to receive news and updates from South Staffordshire Council. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions 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. Deputy chief reporter at the Express & Star. ofWolverhampton Council . 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. (QA!EPEPEPES ) QE QE A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. At the end of the training programme, there is a written assessment. Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Please could you provide a list by (name / address / contact details /) . Before becoming a driver,. Before April 2015, there. has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or The service has never failed an audit. To apply/renew your driver or vehicle licence follow the links below. (IKFh I@Q@ E- QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE RR ( ( ) sG4sH999999( ()i)h( (QE i90#?WHB CH 7:+ 6YgY]BPU8q-HG-b%+aK`y=DUFB%2)x$T'oSz+! Just raise a case and leave feedback after. The report made furthest from the West Midlands city came from a complainant more than 150 miles away. <> Donate and support our work. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The data was provided in a Freedom of Information request. Freedom of Information Act 2000 It licences drivers from around the UK including Scotland, Manchester and Nottingham. Resolver is not affiliated to, linked with or otherwise endorsed by Wolverhampton City Council. 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). ( NihsG4sG499 99 99 J)y JZ)( (QE "The first thing to say is that the majority of taxi drivers out there are working hard to make a living and are trained to actually help vulnerable people," said Phil Ashford, from the National Working Group (NWG) for tackling child sexual exploitation. In Wolverhampton itself, there were four allegations of CSE and four serious sexual allegations. If you have a complaint about a driver, vehicle proprietor or operator, you can provide information at Taxi Complaints or call our dedicated complaints line 01902 55 TAXI. Navdeep Nijjar We willcarry outan assessment The authoritys total income from private hire and Hackney Carriage licensing was 157,482. Resolver is free. Our reference: 926105, --------------------------------------------------------------------------. <> Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details Resolver is a completely free complaint-resolution tool that puts the British consumer directly in touch with the customer service providers who can resolve their complaint. Visible links 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. <> Fears have been raised drivers are "shopping around" to find the easiest way to obtain a licence. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. DBS checks are also carried out on vehicle licence applicants, as well as a check that the vehicle is insured for public and/or private hire. ^hE/4 Ph @EPsG4R(99 (iH=iOjJ@/&R % 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.". The customer had been provided with a business card containing Ayubs personal phone number and she told him she had set up her own business. Meanwhile Walsall Council received just 48 new applications for licences last year, when it had a total of 1,129 private hire drivers registered. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. ( (@QE It has granted 35,035 private hire licences since 2017, pumping 8.7m into the authoritys coffers. 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. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 594.96 842.04] /Contents 4 0 R/StructParents 0>> 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. 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. Established taxi drivers in Wolverhampton have previously protested over what they said was a fall in standards since the Deregulation Act was introduced. Drivers must attend a one-day driver training programme, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council. 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.. (05798215). Under the plans, those with specific previous convictions would face minimum bans "in all but truly exceptional circumstances". Taxi drivers protesting in Wolverhampton last year over the city council's controversial licensing system. Across 2021 and 2022, 55% of applicants failed this assessment. 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, France May Day protests leave dozens of police injured, 'Fighter jets are roaring over my home in Sudan'. Yours faithfully ( endstream (JaIKE9R@J_sMjJ ZJU%0 ( %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br 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. The delegation was agreed by the district authority's cabinet on. However, the authoritys dominance of the market has not gone down well with other councils, some of which have seen their own private hire applications plummet. DearL Thompson ( You therefore need a debit or credit card to make the payment.. You must also complete a DBS application (Criminal Records Check) and provide a DVLA three . [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] 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. Wolverhampton City Council, Download a zip file of all correspondence, Children and adults removed by social services due to poor housing conditions, Correspondence between UBER BRITANNIA LIMITED and Wolverhampton City Council. ( 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. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. mySociety 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 "What is really important is that we make sure we bring the taxi drivers in on this. Once a statement is provided you may be asked to give evidence in court. ( In one instance, a council officer drove more than 100 miles to a suspect driver's home and "took his licence away from him on his doorstep". The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. <> Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. Wolverhampton Council handed out a record 15,000 private hire licences last year raking in nearly 3.7 million in fees. ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. 2 0 obj %PDF-1.7 ]k w79`Yu-i%r!H106 43@QX-Wq/ 9 0 obj ( It's quick, easy and (best of all) it's free. Where there are motoring convictions, these are also considered against the Councils guidelines. Yours faithfully ( 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. ( In that year a change in the law allowed private hire drivers to operate in a different area from where they obtained a licence.