Agenda item

5.1

A petition was received from Mohammed Faysal Ansar:

“A bag to collect batteries and be collected as part of bin service.

We the undersigned petition the council to provide a bag for old batteries, to be collected as part of the recycling service. Do you wonder what happens to batteries that do not get the right treatment they deserve. By this I mean that if we don’t recycle used batteries we no longer need or are no longer working, we decide to throw them straight in the black bin. If you look on Veolia Twitter page, it instructs us that throwing batteries in the general waste (black bin) or recycling bin can cause a fire, causing a hazard for Veolia’s crew.

If you think about it the transport we are going to use in the future will rely on batteries. So if we don’t recycle the batteries we use, the only thing we are doing is damaging the environment and wasting more valuable Earth resources.

So I am asking for Sheffield Council to collect batteries as part of bin service so all households can recycle batteries, just like what other councils have started doing in the UK.”

There was no speaker to this petition. The petition was noted, and the petitioner would be provided with a written response in respect of the issue.

5.2

A petition was received from Mohammed Faysal Ansar:

“A recycling bin, box or bag to recycle glass.

“We the undersigned petition the council to provide a recycling bin, box or bag for glass. Do you wonder why the Sheffield household waste and recycling service is so expensive to run. It is because in the brown bin we recycle plastic, metal and glass, yes glass. Glass is expensive to recycle and it is even more expensive to recycle when it is in the same bin as metal and plastic. When recycling goes to be sorted, metals and plastics need sorting, but glass should go in a container of its own. So I am asking Sheffield Council to give Sheffield households the choice of a bin or box or, for households that don’t have much glass, a bag. We Sheffield households can also do our bit to make a difference to Sheffield Council and Sheffield taxpayers can help to save hundreds of pounds every year Also, many councils collect glass in a separate bin, box or bag, and if Sheffield Council did the same, it could also save them hundreds of pounds every year.

We should also remember in the uk and around the world we household and councils are Recovering from the pandemic and that has send cost E.g Council tax Bills and other every day essentials out of most people reach.

So if we start by recycling glass properly maybe we will be on the right road to recovery.”

There was no speaker to this petition. The petition was noted, and the petitioner would be provided with a written response in respect of the issue.

5.3

A petition was received from Mohammed Faysal Ansar:

“Requesting a Larger Blue Bin or Change Back to a Fortnightly Recycling Service”.

We the undersigned petition the council to provide a larger blue bin or change back to a fortnightly recycling service. Back in 2017, Sheffield Council changed the recycling service from fortnightly collection to monthly collection to save money and boost recycling rates. BUT, and it is a big BUT, the monthly recycling service just doesn’t work. WHY - for most Sheffield households, a 140 litre blue bin to put a month’s worth of paper, and cardboard in is just impossible. When it comes to collection day, you can only put a small amount of paper and cardboard beside your blue bin. The problem with this is Veolia, the bin company that collects the waste on behalf of Sheffield Council, will only collect a small amount of extra paper and cardboard. Everything else will still be beside your blue bin to put back in your bin until the next collection. I don’t call this recycling if you only take some of the waste and everything else will still be left for another month.

Sadly for most Sheffield households the blue bin service is the only way of recycling there paper and cardboard, so if you only get a 140 litre blue bin to put everything in and that is the only way for you to use the recycling service, this tell us Sheffield household only one thing that Sheffield Council did this just to save money.

Sadly not many households get the chance to go to the recycling centre and recycle their extra paper and cardboard.”

There was no speaker to this petition. The petition was noted, and the petitioner would be provided with a written response in respect of the issue.

5.4

One public question was received from Janiece Wallace, James Martin read the question on her behalf:

“I would like to raise the following public question to the Waste and Street Scene Committee on Wednesday. I will not be able to attend but would be grateful if you allow James Martin or the Chair to read out the question.

The plans to dim street lights is concerning for many in the visually impaired community. Such changes can leave people with degrading eye conditions becoming more distressed and losing independence and social interaction earlier amongst many other aspects. Will the dimming proposals be given a trial at a meaningful time of year where nights are at their darkest to ensure a fair evaluation?”

The Chair responded with the following answer:

Any street lighting dimming proposals will be subject to public consultation including appropriate trial dimming and will be presented to committee and agreed with members prior to implementation.

5.5

James Martin attended the Committee and asked the following question:

“Noting the proposal for further dimming street lighting, will the lighting levels remain at or above the British Standards set or are proposals to take levels below national standards?”

The Chair responded with the following answer:

At the moment street lighting dimming options are still being developed. Any street lighting dimming proposals will be subject to public consultation including appropriate trial dimming and will be presented to committee and agreed with members prior to implementation.

5.6

James Martin attended the Committee and asked the following question:

“We are pleased to see the retention of all hackney carriages in Sheffield being wheelchair accessible vehicles. This will help to ensure a more accessible welcome to the city. We also tentatively welcome the introduction of permission for rear-loading vehicles as this will help many users, however, the council will need review whether all ranks are suitable as previously highlighted.

Can the committee please ensure that the vehicle commitment is set into policy, and that officers are ensuring plans are in place to measure any adjustments required to the built environment?”

The Chair responded with the following answer:

The Licensing Authority will work alongside other Council services and organisations to ensure, where possible, that any adjustments to the built environment are considered.

5.7

Naheem Hanif attended the Committee and asked the following questions:

“1) What contingency plans has the council made, if 88% of drivers that own non-CAZ compliant taxis, decide to leave the hackney trade and join Uber / Bolt / City where they can earn more and have access to a wider range of cheaper vehicles? The hackney trade will be decimated!

2) I have been looking for a good condition, low mileage Euro 6 Mercedes Vito taxi as I need a minimum of 6 seats. I have tried various taxi dealers such as Cab direct, Taxifix, Birmingham Taxi warehouse etc. None can supply any as the model has been discontinued. I can't afford the TX5, What am I supposed to do?

3) Why will the council not accept mixed fleet hackney carriages? This model has proven to work in other cities.

I looked at the full electric Mercedes Evito which has room for 8 passengers and 2+ foldable wheelchairs. But this is not a hackney. Surely if we are serious about clean air in Sheffield, then why wouldn't you allow a full electric multi purpose vehicle to be used as a taxi?”

The Chair responded with the following answers:

1)    The Licensing Authority is proposing a change to policy that will allow both side and rear-loading vehicles, as well as allowing Euro 6 standard vehicles that are under 7 years old. This will allow a greater number of vehicles to be licensed.

The Clean Air Zone is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and forms part of their national Clean Air Strategy to tackle air pollution, including roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the UK. DEFRA have awarded funding to Sheffield City Council to support people most impacted by the CAZ to upgrade or replace their vehicle. In response to stakeholder feedback and in-light of the cost-of-living crisis the Council has negotiated with DEFRA to make sure that the funding packages available are the best deal possible within the constraints, such as:

·       Offering grant and low interest loan options

·       Increased the maximum value for Hackney taxis upgrading to a Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol engine up to £6,000

·       Increased the maximum value for Hackney taxis upgrade to an electric vehicle up to £10,000

·       Making retrospective funding available for those who have upgraded / replaced their vehicle in response to the CAZ since 26 October 2021 (scheme launch date tbc).

·       Secured a temporary exemption for Hackney Carriage owners licensed with Sheffield City Council until 5th June 2023.

·       Temporary exemptions available for those who take-up grant / loan funding while they find a new vehicle / retrofit and until the vehicle / retrofit is supplied

2)    The Licensing Authority is proposing a change to policy that will allow both side and rear-loading vehicles to be licensed as a hackney. This will allow greater choice for the licensee.

3)    It is important to maintain a standard whereby those with a disability, specifically wheelchair users, have adequate access to suitable vehicles.

The Authority is proposing a change to the current policy, allowing both side and rear-loading vehicles to be licensed. This will allow greater choice for the licensee whilst maintaining wheelchair accessibility.

Other core cities, including Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority all mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet.

Some authorities (Leeds and Barnsley) that do not mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet are seeing wheelchair accessible vehicles undertaking much of the contract work, leaving little to no vehicles available at ranks.

The Licensing Authority is proposing a change to policy that will allow both side and rear-loading vehicles to be licensed as a hackney. This will allow greater choice for the licensee.

Vehicles wishing to be licensed as a hackney carriage must confirm to the specification. Whilst emissions are a key element, especially due to the introduction of the Clean Air Zone, other elements must be taken into consideration.

5.8

Seven questions were received from Javid Khan. Javid Khan did not attend the meeting to ask their questions therefore a written response would be provided.

5.9

Ibrar Hussain attended the Committee and asked the following questions:

“1. Please confirm the list, in order, of future policies affecting taxi and private hire trade coming before this policy committee meeting in year 2023 as part of the forward plan:

·       Fees Review,

·       Review of Additional Independent Approved Test Centres,

·       Review of Vehicle MOT Testing Criteria of both HCVs/ PHVs,

·       IT provision in Taxi Licensing Service.

2. To both officers from licencing service & Cllrs, why have you not given or giving serious consideration to allowing saloon vehicles as a hackney carriage vehicle and followed the Leeds Model?

3. How will you implement card reader machines as outlined in HCV licence conditions and enforcement action if condition not applied?

4. What publicity will the licensing service give to promoting to general public of HCV licence condition of having card reader machines and its use as a condition of use?

5. What steps or real enforcement has licencing service taken practically to date to stop overcharging and misuse of refusing smaller jobs etc, so far no evidence in action seen its a total failure, need in-depth response with data and action plan to implement?

6. What steps has the licensing service taken and working with other LA enforcement officers to stop or enforce taxi and PH laws in Sheffield when out of town working in Sheffield in 2022/2023? Give full in-depth response.”

The Chair responded with the following answers:

1)    It is envisaged that the fees review will take place June 2023. The Review of Additional Independent Approved Test Centres is a large piece of work that the Service does not currently have the resources to undertake in addition to the policy work being undertaken. We will however aim to look at this issue once the policy decisions have been dealt with after spring 2023. There are no proposals to review testing arrangements at this time. The Licensing Service Manager is undertaking the work required to identify a suitable supplier of IT provision.

2)    It is important to maintain a standard whereby those with a disability, specifically wheelchair users, have adequate access to suitable vehicles.

The Authority is proposing a change to the current policy, allowing both side and rear-loading vehicles to be licensed. This will allow greater choice for the licensee whilst maintaining wheelchair accessibility.

Other core cities, including Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority all mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet.

Some authorities (Leeds and Barnsley) that do not mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet are seeing wheelchair accessible vehicles undertaking much of the contract work, leaving little to no vehicles available at ranks.

3)    It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure that policy conditions are adhered to. Those licensees that do not adhere to conditions will be subject to enforcement action. It is expected that all licensees have the means to take non-cash-payments within 2-months of the policy being implemented.

4)    There are no current plans to promote the use of cashless payments systems. However, we are talking to our communications team and Sheffield railway station to see if they can provide any help.

5)    The licensing service have spent time engaging with hackney carriage drivers in an effort to address issues including overcharging and unreasonable fare refusals, including the distribution of information to drivers as a proactive means of raising awareness regarding offences.

The licensing service is considering further options, including test purchase operations, and where there is sufficient evidence, the licensing service will always seek to take appropriate action, which may include, but is not limited to, prosecution and licence reviews.

In cases where the licensing service receive complaints of overcharging or unreasonable fare refusal, the service will always investigate and where the necessary evidence is available, take appropriate action.

Enforcement officers have recently taken action against several drivers for offences witnessed by officers in and around the City Centre and Moor. Appropriate action was taken against these drivers in line with the evidence available.

6)    Licensed vehicles are permitted to work in other areas other than those in which they are licensed.

The committee wrote to the Secretary of State on this matter. In response, the Government indicated that they were aware of the challenges out-of-area working presents to licensing authorities and that it was looked at as part of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and PHV Licensing. There was no consensus on how to tackle the issue and the Government concluded that it would not, at this time, take forward out-of-area restrictions.

The Licensing Service has worked alongside other local authorities during enforcement, most recently in June 2022 and will continue to do so where other LA’s are available.

5.10

Nasar Raoof attended the Committee and asked the following questions on behalf of GMB:

“With the risk of vulnerable people of Sheffield, women on their own at the end of the night not being able to get taxis home, why is Sheffield council not looking at opening Hackney vehicles to include saloons and other cars to make up the short fall?

We have seen Hackney vehicles decline by 100’s across the years and declining still, why can the council not look at positive initiatives like mixed fleet vehicles rather than rear loading only where cost is more?

With the cost of living crisis and the impact covid had on the taxi trade, devastating impacts were felt across the trade and public, why can this council not look at cost saving approach to filling the void created by the reduction

In taxis and use mixed fleet vehicles and include saloons?”

The Chair responded with the following answer:

It is important to maintain a standard whereby those with a disability, specifically wheelchair users, have adequate access to suitable vehicles.

The Authority is proposing a change to the current policy, allowing both side and rear-loading vehicles to be licensed. This will allow greater choice for the licensee whilst maintaining wheelchair accessibility.

Other core cities, including Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority all mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet.

Some authorities (Leeds and Barnsley) that do not mandate a 100% wheelchair accessible fleet are seeing wheelchair accessible vehicles undertaking much of the contract work, leaving little to no vehicles available at ranks.

The Chair committed to adding a representative from an organisation supporting women’s safety at night to the Taxi Forum.