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That Council:
 
a)   
Notes the Executive resolution to approve sections
5, 10 and 11- where it relates to the inspection of vehicles,
section 12 – transfer of licences, and section 16 –
fees, of the Policy in so far as these sections rest within the
functions of the Executive.
 
b)   
Approves the adoption of the draft Hackney Carriage
and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2025-2028 as shown at Appendix
A.
 
c)   
Resolves, pursuant to Schedule 14, Part 2, Paragraph
25 of the Local Government Act 1972, that section 171(4) of the
Public Health Act 1875 shall apply throughout the District of North
Northamptonshire. Adopt the draft North Northamptonshire Council
Byelaws for Hackney Carriage Vehicles (Taxis) (see Appendix
E).
 
d)   
Delegates authority to postpone the planned
commencement date of the Byelaws of 1st September 2025, to the
Executive Director of Place and Economy, if necessary, in
consultation with the Executive Member for Regulatory Services.
This would allow the new Byelaws to be implemented in tandem with
the effective date of the updated Hackney Carriage and Private Hire
Licensing Policy 2025-2028, and implementation of the new North
Northamptonshire Hackney carriage Zone.
 
e)   
Delegates authority to make any minor amendments and
corrections to the existing Policy and its appendices, to the
Executive Director of Place and Economy in consultation with the
Director of Law & Governance (Monitoring Officer), to allow the
operation of the existing Policy prior to the implementation of the
2025-2028 Policy.
 
f)     
Delegates authority to make any minor amendments and
corrections to the 2025-2028 Policy and its appendices, to the
Executive Director of Place and Economy in consultation with the
Director of Law & Governance (Monitoring Officer).
 
Reasons for Decisions
 
a)   
The policy provided information and clarity to the
licensed trade and prospective applicants about how the Council
will administer the hackney carriage and private hire driver,
vehicle and private hire operator licensing regimes. The Policy
also explained how the Council will deliver on its primary and
overriding responsibility to protect the public, so that they may
travel in safe, well-maintained vehicles, driven by competent
drivers.
 
b)   
The policy included several material differences to
the extant Policy, which took effect on 1st April 2023, to ensure
it reflects the decision of the Council’s Executive of 11th
July 2024 to transition to a single hackney carriage zone.
Additionally, the proposed changes ensure its cognisance of updated
guidance issued by the Department for Transport and the Institute
of Licensing, as well as operational experience and feedback from
the licensed trade.
 
c)   
Final approval of the updated Hackney Carriage
Byelaws is still pending with the Department for Transport. The
updated Policy refers to the transition to a single hackney
carriage zone and an associated set of new Byelaws; therefore, the
implementation of both the Policy and the new Byelaws must be
harmonised.
 
d)   
Approval of the new Byelaws will enable Hackney
Carriage provisions to be enforced across the new NNC Zone. The
updated Policy referred to the transition to a single hackney
carriage zone and an associated set of new Byelaws; therefore, the
implementation of both the Policy and the new Byelaws must be
harmonised.
 
Alternative Options Considered
 
a)   
Council could have decided not to update the extant
Policy in relation to the sections within their functions to
resolve. The consequence of which would be that the Policy would
not reflect the decision to transition to a single hackney carriage
zone. The Policy will also not reflect updated government guidance
and learned operational experience. This could leave the Council
open to legal challenge in relation to any decisions made under
hackney carriage and private hire licensing legislation.
 
b)   
Council could have decided not to pass the
resolution to remove the existing hackney carriage zones of Corby,
East Northants, Kettering and Wellingborough. The consequence of
this would not reflect the decision of 11 July 2024 by the
Executive to transition to a single hackney carriage zone and would
prevent the final approval of the Byelaws by the Department for
Transport
 
c)   
Council could have decided not to approve the
Byelaws, however, if the Byelaws were not updated, this would
reduce the Council’s ability to regulate hackney carriage
activities and limits Officers enforcement ability across the new
NNC zone, since the Byelaws govern Hackney Carriage activity within
the new NNC zone boundary.
 
d)   
Council could have determined not to delegate
authority to postpone the planned commencement date of the Byelaws,
if necessary, due to delays in obtaining DfT approval of the new
Byelaws. It is necessary however, to obtain DfT approval of new
byelaws before implementation and commencing the Byelaws before DfT
approval is received, would invalidate them and prevent enforcement
by Officers for any contraventions.