Established in 2008. ( P(j _JZm(AI OJ)i(QEZJZ %zQ@-% QI@PIKE %Q@ QKE %Q@Q@IE QE Rw(A((((((((((((EPEPER9(4sKI !PEPIKE %- QE Q@(AEP ( ( ( ( ( J ( QZ((G4 !h % QE @sG4 QKI@4sG=> GKu H( EJ)i(RQ@Q@y KE( ()(C 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. It currently has 4,461 drivers licensed. 9 0 obj These guidelines have been consulted on with the industry, police, courts and all other councils. Resolver is free. This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions ( 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. Contact us if you think it should be reopened. The Councils Guidelines are regularly reviewed and as of November 2022 are currently under review pending the anticipated publication of Government Best Practice Guidance. ( (@QE Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Please provide number of complaints received by council in relation to uber taxis from 2015-2019 . ( Thank you for your request for information that was received on6 November As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is fit and proper, a licence is granted. ( WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. "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. NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email. 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? Wolverhampton Council launched The Additional Restriction Grant - Taxi and Private Hire Grant Scheme to help drivers across the city. The BBC has been unable to determine whether the drivers accused of offences have faced criminal proceedings. Councillor Alan Bolshaw, the citys licensing chief, said: Councillor Bird seems to have come quite late to the party. Wolverhampton Council The data was provided in a Freedom of Information request. ( (Q@QH((((((((aEP2Sk`(= 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". "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. DearL Thompson ( Under the plans, those with specific previous convictions would face minimum bans "in all but truly exceptional circumstances". 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. She then more than doubled the price for the uninsured journey. Police were informed in all cases, it said. It will see eligible drivers receive a one-off payment of. and a limited company (03277032). Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from ^PER`QE list by name and contact details of private hire vehicle operators licensed to/by Wolverhampton council 2020 ( ^hibQE( ZJ(EPEPER ( ( ( ( ( ( (QE( E6) E:hwAKKAIKI@Q@IE QE R(4 J )hi( (i( In that year a change in the law allowed private hire drivers to operate in a different area from where they obtained a licence. ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z (05798215). ( We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. (IKFh I@Q@ E- QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE QE RR ( ( ) sG4sH999999( ()i)h( (QE ( 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. privacy legislation. Consumer guides, newsletters, surveys and more! 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. 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". It licences drivers from around the UK including Scotland, Manchester and Nottingham. Email:licensing@sstaffs.gov.ukTelephone: (01902) 696000, Sign up to receive news and updates from South Staffordshire Council. Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. disseminate the information contained within this e-mail. 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. Drivers must have held a UK driving licence for at least one year and this licence is checked as part of the application process. Navdeep Nijjar ( hh hh hhQ@%- QK@ EPEPPQE QEQE QE QE0 services through our wholly owned subsidiary 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 J)h )(h (%-PHii(cRHR})sG4sE J`(4QH((EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEP2Q[)R and if anyexemptionsapplyto some or all ofthe information then we The council report also stated its licensing team prioritised drivers in its own area and had taken on 20 extra staff in the last year to deal with the volume of applications, with plans to appoint more. Wolverhampton council said it stripped licences from suspects immediately. The campaign also highlights the risks involved in taking an unlicensed vehicle and how to identify a legitimate taxi or private hire driver. It's quick, easy and (best of all) it's free. City of Wolverhampton Council said it prioritised local taxi driver applications. In response to your request, please see attached our response to your Placing members of the public at unnecessary risk by taking a booking without valid insurance is unacceptable.. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. Mr Ashford welcomed news of the government's proposals for tougher legislation. A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. Our reference: 926105, --------------------------------------------------------------------------. We automatically connect you to contacts at thousands of household names, ombudsmen and regulators to find a resolution. @RRQE%0(JZ (QE endstream 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. ( Best and worst companies at resolving issues. It is examining a range of proposals, including making taxi and private hire. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? Its quick, easy and totally free. 2023 Resolver Consumer Online Limited. CCTV may also be fitted to cars, with an encrypted system so footage could only be accessed if a crime was reported. Governance In the last financial year, the city registered an extra 7,428 drivers, taking the total with a Wolverhampton licence to 26,745. please follow the link to Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. (/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 "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". 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. City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. ( Would you be willing to provide a witness statement? Resolver can help you send your complaints to Wolverhampton City Council. Download The Council has never refused a request from a licensing authority for a compliance operation in their area. )})( %- RJ- K@ J(i)i( ( View our cookie policy here. 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. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error "I was sitting in the back of the taxi and he put his hand on my knee". Get started. Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. An enquiry is also made to the DBS to determine whether the information is that the driver has been added to a barred list and is prohibited from working with children and/or vulnerable adults. Whilst people apply to Wolverhampton from all over the country, we conduct compliance operations all over the country. Read about our approach to external linking. ]k w79`Yu-i%r!H106 43@QX-Wq/ 4 0 obj This request has been closed to new correspondence. 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. 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. Resolver is not affiliated to, linked with or otherwise endorsed by Wolverhampton City Council. 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. 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. If not, we will refer your complaint to the manager responsible for the service you're unhappy with. Taxi drivers protesting in Wolverhampton last year over the city council's controversial licensing system. which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of 'Downloads' section of the Council's Taxi Licences webpage). We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. To apply/renew your driver or vehicle licence follow the links below. ( 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. (Q@%- QI@EP'4s@. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council Yours faithfully, (05798215). Contact details. Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. Fears have been raised drivers are "shopping around" to find the easiest way to obtain a licence. Please provide your details so we can keep you informed on the outcome of the complaint you wish to raise. EP 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. Read about our approach to external linking. It just seems like the budget line comes first above everything.. the use of this email or attachments. 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'. A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. We provide commercial Thank you for your request for information received on6 November Visible links ( % Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayub's appeal against Wolverhampton Council's decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. SocietyWorks Ltd ( (Q@Q@QL(EPE% QKI@-%G4s@ %/4sHhy9 94 ) - QG4 sAE- !()hhJ'zVP(g -%(?i ))QCRPE RQHaEPE%- QI@E)i)hQEQE !BQKE u'49hbm8h! u&?JC 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. 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. If you need to make a complaint about a driver or a vehicle, please visit thecomplaints page. Photo: Wolverhampton Council Drivers gathered outside. 2019aboutTaxi complaints Complaints about taxi drivers. 2023 BBC. (E 4.h i)h(@ E QF( jZ;PEhRCRhZ%4 i90#?WHB CH 7:+ 6YgY]BPU8q-HG-b%+aK`y=DUFB%2)x$T'oSz+! Freedom of Information Act 2000 Instead, theyre full of the info you need to get things sorted. <> send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or ( Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/taxi_complaints_5 on May 02, 2023 00:03. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 594.96 842.04] /Contents 4 0 R/StructParents 0>> (QA!EPEPEPES ) QE QE (%-% ii(BsKIh9O/4 GS jJV ( ^j@J(QH((((((( JFIF ` ` C ( Please notify [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] Where new information is found, their licence is reviewed. Please check with your phone provider if you are unsure about how much a call will cost. Lib Dem campaigner Ian Jenkins, said: The council has turned a vital safety check into a cash cow. 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. 2023 BBC. Resolver is a totally free service that you can use to complain effectively. 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 Drivers must undergo medical certification to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2 Standards. If their licence is revoked, this decision is recorded on NR3S, in case the driver tries to apply for a licence at another authority. 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. . The service also undergoes audit each year. 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. )i( ( 4G 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. His contribution to the debate is welcomed as much as anybody's.". Donate and support our work. all of the information you have requested. . ( It is intended solely for the addressee. If you need to book a wheelchair accessible vehicle this is a list of thecurrent licensed providers. 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. If you are not the intended recipient, an addressing or transmission error JZ(99(J ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((EPEPER(96 Wolverhampton then made it very easy to get licenced there, issued tens of thousands of licences for a population of 260,000 and therefore made the standards of private hire taxis slip in the whole country malcster_75 8 mo. mySociety Council's taxi licensing change aims to save money. <> We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information Once a driver is granted, we continue to monitor them. Slower processing times and higher fees elsewhere had encouraged many drivers to choose Wolverhampton. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? We provide commercial is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) Taxi complaints Wolverhampton City Council. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. Z( sEPEaZ5 )VJZHiZ)Qj4 va@b City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. endobj ( 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. Reports of child sexual exploitation are among allegations made. Simple! 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). The Council is 100% compliant with this KPI. 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. 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. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council Concerns have also been raised over passenger safety. 2000andwe aim to senda response by4 December 2019. In Wolverhampton itself, there were four allegations of CSE and four serious sexual allegations. 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. 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. <>/OutputIntents[<>] /Metadata 371 0 R/ViewerPreferences 372 0 R>> 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. Theres no jargon in our rights guides. ( 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. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. endobj Taxi drivers and council colleagues say farewell to Elaine Moreton (centre) who is retiring at the age of 75 after 39 years' service. A Wolverhampton private hire driver who overcharged a customer, while taking her on an uninsured journey that wasn't pre-booked, has had her licence revoked. DearL Thompson uKIJ( (C %Z %( _(4 PR@%PK ( What action has been taken by Wolverhampton council? )((((QE( ( ( ( ( ( ))h9G4:9 4wE/4 sIJ ( We are working with industry leaders, regulators and government to make your voice heard and improve customer service. 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. To pay your Parking and Bus Lane Penalty Charge Notices online you will need: your Parking and Bus Lane Penalty Charge Notices reference number your debit or credit card details Account details. The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Please could you provide a list by (name / address / contact details /) . A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. 1 0 obj Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender, requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details which may be legally privileged and/or subject to the provisions of 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. I understand they may feel like they're being unfairly targeted but you know this is about protecting children and protecting drivers' business reputation.". $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? You are now required to show photoID when voting at a polling station at the elections on May 4th. ( TheFreedom of Information Act 2000may restrict the release of some or 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. request. They will investigate your complaint and respond to you direct. endobj Wolverhampton C " <> might not provide that informationto you. xUMo0#HMH,mQ-Uki66>X{o<3n|uYK6+m In 2018-19 Birmingham Council issued 1,768 private hire licences, down 11 per cent on the previous year. ( %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz 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). J((h disseminate the information contained within this e-mail. Customer Engagement Officer 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. "In terms of my experience working on the front line and from working in some cases, there are some drivers that are predatory. Putting things right Complaints process Other options Want to help others get their issues sorted fast or see the latest updates about how Resolver can help you? Taxi and cab drivers have staged go-slow protests against the current regulations around the country, saying they leave the public at risk. 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. Further information about the vehicles and drivers licensed for South Staffordshire are available on ourInformation for Passengers page. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Download 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". ( You can be certain that youre talking to the right person at the right time. endobj u6`QK@E%E%/z( (Q@RPKE QIKHOQL(QKI@J^h Yours faithfully Weve helped millions of people find a resolution. 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. "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.
France And Germany Were Once Part Of What Feudal Kingdom, Luke Wilson And Drew Barrymore Relationship, Former Wnem Meteorologist, Articles W