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.. 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. "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. Taxi drivers 'missing out on Covid . The service has never failed an audit. Fears have been raised drivers are "shopping around" to find the easiest way to obtain a licence. Our reference: 1386425, Response all information to be supplied.pdf, 96K 1 0 obj List of Private Hire Operators - WhatDoTheyKnow Instead, theyre full of the info you need to get things sorted. 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. Taxi and cab drivers have staged go-slow protests against the current regulations around the country, saying they leave the public at risk. However, there remains no official system of ensuring all authorities are aware of suspected criminal activity, although the council "refutes any accusation" of failing to pass on details. 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 2018-19 Birmingham Council issued 1,768 private hire licences, down 11 per cent on the previous year. DearL Thompson Wolverhampton has registered about a third of England's taxi drivers and is inundated with applications, according to a report. (Q@Q@QL(EPE% QKI@-%G4s@ %/4sHhy9 94 ) - QG4 sAE- !()hhJ'zVP(g -%(?i ))QCRPE RQHaEPE%- QI@E)i)hQEQE !BQKE u'49hbm8h! ( (@QE Police were informed in all cases, it said. 6 0 obj 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. 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. ( Let us know what you think has gone wrong and how you think we can correct it. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. 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. NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email. Navdeep Nijjar Read about our approach to external linking. 7 0 obj We will inform youif this is Weve helped millions of people find a resolution. Members of the council's regulatory committee are set to discuss the matter on Wednesday. list by name and contact details of private hire vehicle operators licensed to/by Wolverhampton council 2020 ZLP J;i Pi(KBR :J((ZJ(RRQE QE Q@ )))hEPEPRI@Rs@)ii(z Just raise a case and leave feedback after. )})( %- RJ- K@ J(i)i( ( have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present. Please notify Would you be willing to provide a witness statement? Current guidelines allow councils to set their own driver standards, including whether to make the checks. <> Use Resolver to make a complaint. Importantly, our driver conditions dictate that drivers must cooperate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas. requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details Download Taxi complaints - a Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton n)=_} bRqHCD@[WP,=|B2Ho|Sc$+! Dear Wolverhampton City Council, Please could you provide a list by (name / address / contact details /) . Freedom of Information Act 2000 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. Complaints . "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. This policy relates to surveillance cameras, also. Yours faithfully The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. 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 first is an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which includes a check on the children and vulnerable adults barred list. Putting things right Complaints process Other options Donate and support our work. Where there is information on the applicants DBS certificate, this is considered in accordance with the Councils Guidelines. 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. Some drivers may have taken on related work as delivery drivers, the report added. Concerns have also been raised over passenger safety. Freedom of Information Act 2000 Wolverhampton 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. `!DR privacy legislation. (JaIKE9R@J_sMjJ ZJU%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. CCTV may also be fitted to cars, with an encrypted system so footage could only be accessed if a crime was reported. 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". ( Wolverhampton Council The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. ( The purpose of the witness statement is to provide written evidence to support a complaint that will, if necessary, be used as evidence in court. "I was sitting in the back of the taxi and he put his hand on my knee". It currently has 4,461 drivers licensed. ( Navdeep Nijjar A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is fit and proper, a licence is granted. EP ( In the last financial year, the city registered an extra 7,428 drivers, taking the total with a Wolverhampton licence to 26,745. 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. Governance Subscribe to one or all notification sources from this one place. Blackpool taxi drivers bypassing resort's regulations with Please check with your phone provider if you are unsure about how much a call will cost. The authoritys total income from private hire and Hackney Carriage licensing was 157,482. 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. privacy legislation. Yours faithfully, Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met. I understand they may feel like they're being unfairly targeted but you know this is about protecting children and protecting drivers' business reputation.". )i( ( 4G South Staffordshire taxi licensing to be handled by Wolverhampton Council If you need to make a complaint about a driver or a vehicle, . ( 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. "There have been several consultations about the private hire trade and he appears to be playing catch up. The campaign also highlights the risks involved in taking an unlicensed vehicle and how to identify a legitimate taxi or private hire driver. Wolverhampton a magnet for taxi driver applications - BBC News services through our wholly owned subsidiary Governance J((h Get started now and lets get this sorted. We automatically connect you to contacts at thousands of household names, ombudsmen and regulators to find a resolution. 2 0 obj 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. ( (h-! (%P P0PH(h@ vZ( (( ( 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. 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. J)h )(h (%-PHii(cRHR})sG4sE J`(4QH((EPEPEPEPEPEPEPEPEP2Q[)R <> 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. Drivers must attend a one-day driver training programme, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council. Over the same period Wolverhampton Council had 1,018 applications from private hire drivers based in Walsall. proceeding with your request. If you need to book a wheelchair accessible vehicle this is a list of thecurrent licensed providers. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Taxi complaints. The delegation was agreed by the district authority's cabinet on. Before becoming a driver,. This email contains proprietary confidential information some or all of 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. 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. Many established taxi drivers say the Deregulation Act 2015 is threatening their livelihoods and claim a change in the application process is "risking customer safety". This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions In response to your request, please see attached our response to your ( Taxi drivers protesting in Wolverhampton last year over the city council's controversial licensing system. %PDF-1.7 % 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 13 Birmingham pubs named after royalty - but are they celebrating the Kings Coronation Weekend? You can be certain that youre talking to the right person at the right time. "We would like to see a return of standards so that public safety is not put at risk.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Then like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. u6`QK@E%E%/z( (Q@RPKE QIKHOQL(QKI@J^h We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. <>/OutputIntents[<>] /Metadata 371 0 R/ViewerPreferences 372 0 R>> Simple! WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. Please note, if you are not willing to provide a witness statement we may be unable to process your complaint fully. (( ) ( ( L9@sG4s@4sG4s@4sG4s@sKG4( ((((aEP0(QE( ( (`QE 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. This email has been scanned for all viruses and all reasonable precautions On April 29, 2020, council officers received a. 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. Please provide your details so we can keep you informed on the outcome of the complaint you wish to raise. If we decide a fee is payable, we will ( 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 We are an entirely independent issue-resolution tool that enables the raising and handling of consumer issues, making complaining simpler for everyone. Magistrates dismissed Sahrish Rahat Ayub's appeal against Wolverhampton Council's decision to revoke her private hire driver licence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened. )(((h(QE The driver can only undertake work in a vehicle licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council. ago Slower processing times and higher fees elsewhere had encouraged many drivers to choose Wolverhampton. ^PER`QE Consumer guides, newsletters, surveys and more! Wolverhampton Council, Change of Address. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) the author immediately by replying to this email. <> has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or Councillor Alan Bolshaw, the citys licensing chief, said: Councillor Bird seems to have come quite late to the party. A new report to Walsalls director of public health has outlined concerns over dwindling application numbers. ( Please provide as much information as possible to help our Licensing Compliance team investigate your complaint. We provide commercial "What is really important is that we make sure we bring the taxi drivers in on this. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. 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. It is only after these checks have been satisfied that an applicant can become a licensed driver. Best and worst companies at resolving issues. (%-% ii(BsKIh9O/4 GS jJV ( ^j@J(QH((((((( ( ( ( endobj the use of this email or attachments. ( endobj 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. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz (Q@QH((((((((aEP2Sk`(= <> ^hibQE( ZJ(EPEPER ( ( ( ( ( ( (QE( E6) E:hwAKKAIKI@Q@IE QE R(4 J )hi( (i( the use of this email or attachments. [1][Wolverhampton City Council request email] Taxi Complaints - Report a taxi driver | City Of Wolverhampton Council What action has been taken by Wolverhampton council? 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. (05798215). 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. 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 It should be noted that there is no provision in legislation to refuse to consider an application from an individual who lives outside of Wolverhampton. Responsible for local and national political stories, opinion, comment and analysis. Resolver is a totally free service that you can use to complain effectively. 2023 BBC. Thank you for your request for information received on6 November City of Wolverhampton Council licensed Hackney Carriages and Private Hire . please follow the link to Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. You may change your settings at any time or accept the default settings. Where new information is found, their licence is reviewed. ( All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. L thompson made this Freedom of Information request to Wolverhampton City Council 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". endobj has misdirected this e-mail; you must not use, disclose, copy, print or Get started. Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Licensing. Councillor Philip Page, chairman of the councils regulatory committee, said: We take public safety very seriously at Wolverhampton. Our reference: 926105, --------------------------------------------------------------------------. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. endobj Taxi drivers to face extra criminal checks, Taxi driver jailed for sex assault in cab, Taxi licence regulation 'must be tougher', Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing report, Taxi Complaints - City of Wolverhampton Council, 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. the case and advise you of your rights to request an internal review and 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. 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. Established in 2008. )((((QE( ( ( ( ( ( ))h9G4:9 4wE/4 sIJ ( View our cookie policy here. Read about our approach to external linking. ( You are now required to show photoID when voting at a polling station at the elections on May 4th. Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. It is examining a range of proposals, including making taxi and private hire.
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