Wolverhampton registers about a third of England's taxi drivers, according to a report. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. However, if you'd rather complain directly, you can use the above address to contact Wolverhampton City Council. the use of this email or attachments. Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money. WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. 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. privacy legislation. Established taxi drivers in Wolverhampton have previously protested over what they said was a fall in standards since the Deregulation Act was introduced. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. Use Resolver to make a complaint. Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. Change of Address. (Q@QH( 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. Once a statement is provided you may be asked to give evidence in court. If not, we will refer your complaint to the manager responsible for the service you're unhappy with. 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 ( "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". By providing you with all the tools and contact details needed to raise and manage your complaint, we put you firmly in control of your issue. Please note, if you are not willing to provide a witness statement we may be unable to process your complaint fully. EP DearL Thompson Best and worst companies at resolving issues. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Donate and support our work. Safety and health of drivers and the public; High standards of vehicle safety, comfort and access; Prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of consumers; and, Equality and accessibility in service provision. Wolverhampton Council launched The Additional Restriction Grant - Taxi and Private Hire Grant Scheme to help drivers across the city. The service also undergoes audit each year. Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. ( This email contains proprietary confidential information some or all of Governance %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz 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". 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 . )((((QE( ( ( ( ( ( ))h9G4:9 4wE/4 sIJ ( 1 0 obj It licences drivers from around the UK including Scotland, Manchester and Nottingham. City of Wolverhampton Council licensed Hackney Carriages and Private Hire . 9 0 obj In response to your request, please see attached our response to your Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from <> Wolverhampton council said it stripped licences from suspects immediately. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Concerns have also been raised over passenger safety. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the day's top stories sent directly to you. ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z View our cookie policy here. 2 0 obj SocietyWorks Ltd 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. 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). Wolverhampton City Council, Download a zip file of all correspondence, Enforcement of standards in private rented sector, Noise complaints for Premier League stadiums, People banned from council-owned buildings. We provide commercial ( Over the same period Wolverhampton Council had 1,018 applications from private hire drivers based in Walsall. Download ( It currently has 4,461 drivers licensed. 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. It is only after these checks have been satisfied that an applicant can become a licensed driver. Established in 2008. ( endobj The city has taken on new staff in a bid to cope with demand, documents say. When we receive a complaint, if the problem is something we can put right straight away, we will. Further information about the vehicles and drivers licensed for South Staffordshire are available on ourInformation for Passengers page. <> 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. 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? Photo: Wolverhampton Council Drivers gathered outside. We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. endobj We take passengers safety and wellbeing seriously. Wolverhampton has registered about a third of England's taxi drivers and is inundated with applications, according to a report. xUMo0#HMH,mQ-Uki66>X{o<3n|uYK6+m "They will know for example, that the children live together in residential care homes and become friendly with them, and quite easily take advantage of a particular vulnerability by being approachable by offering a sense of fulfilment to that child by offering things that are perceived to be quite adult or responsible such as alcohol, drugs and gifts, and begin grooming them that way before abusing them.". 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. 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 [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] the author immediately by replying to this email. City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. of how you may appeal (if appropriate). Resolver is a totally free service that you can use to complain effectively. (ZNh ( (((((((((( (EPEPI-Nh9G4sG4 sG4sG4 S{4 This may only be completed by a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner. In Birmingham, where there have been four serious sexual allegations against drivers licensed in Wolverhampton, the council said it was concerned the Deregulation Act had "resulted in a situation where there are many vehicles and drivers in the city over whom the council has no enforcement powers". have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present. City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. Wolverhampton Council The Council is 100% compliant with this KPI. Wolverhampton Council handed out a record 15,000 private hire licences last year raking in nearly 3.7 million in fees. Every council in England would be told to carry out checks on all applicants. 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. ( ( J((h It is a criminal offence for people on barred lists to apply to work in a regulated activity and offenders are reported to the police. (/65hQJ1AE% RR)(JZ(AIE R ZC@RPKE% QK@ E- QE QE QK@ EPEPEPIKE %Q@ EPzQE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QI@E% QKE 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. Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met. To apply/renew your driver or vehicle licence follow the links below. CCTV may also be fitted to cars, with an encrypted system so footage could only be accessed if a crime was reported. 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. 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. The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. ( Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. (Q@%- QI@EP'4s@. 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. View as HTML. This website uses cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalised ads, and analytics. It has granted 35,035 private hire licences since 2017, pumping 8.7m into the authoritys coffers. Taxi complaints. On April 29, 2020, council officers received a. Putting things right Complaints process Other options Our reference: 1386425, Response all information to be supplied.pdf, 96K 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. Reports of child sexual exploitation are among allegations made. ( 5 0 obj At the end of the training programme, there is a written assessment. When questioned by council officers, Ayub, of Broadway, in Shirley, Solihull, said the increased cost was a result of coronavirus. 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. ( Please check with your phone provider if you are unsure about how much a call will cost. ( Slower processing times and higher fees elsewhere had encouraged many drivers to choose Wolverhampton. Get started. 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.. <> 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. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/taxi_complaints_4?unfold=1 on May 02, 2023 00:03. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) Learn more about Resolver Pro and how to claim your business. Read about our approach to external linking. 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.". endobj Reports of child sexual exploitation are among allegations made against drivers licensed in Wolverhampton, but who also operate across England. 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. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. ( 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. )})( %- RJ- K@ J(i)i( ( Six of the drivers in the CSE reports had their licences taken from them but the seventh complaint was not upheld. The report made furthest from the West Midlands city came from a complainant more than 150 miles away. endstream The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, 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. Has the incident been reported to the police. Freedom of Information Act 2000 SocietyWorks Ltd has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or This policy relates to surveillance cameras, also. ( J^h'K~s@sIMJZJ)( Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. We are an entirely independent issue-resolution tool that enables the raising and handling of consumer issues, making complaining simpler for everyone. Thank you for your request for information received on6 November If you need to make a complaint about a driver or a vehicle, please visit thecomplaints page. 30 March 2022. Let us know what you think has gone wrong and how you think we can correct it. Taxi drivers 'missing out on Covid . endobj We need to support the private hire trade in the city and not turn ourselves into a taxi version of Gretna Green.
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