Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2021 4:59:27 PM
To: Mahon, Gerry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Cc: Abrami, Joe < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; McCusker, Jacqui < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: RE: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Hi Gerry

Thanks for this. The prompt response is appreciated.

There is very little information given on the Council website regarding/explaining the Consultation.

How have the public been made aware of this consultation?

Where has this consultation been advertised?

Posting my questions and your answers given below on the consultation webpage would help with openness and transparency.

However would appreciate some clarification.

You say 'There are no proposed charges at this stage'

However there are proposed charges at this stage.

You have produced and published a report -

'Taxi Fares Review – Report by Chief Officer (Legal & Procurement)

Report by Chief Officer (Legal & Procurement) - CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 – TAXI FARES REVIEW

containing

Appendix 1

TAXI TARIFF

EFFECTIVE FROM 14 DECEMBER 2021'

and Appendix 1 gives proposed charges.

eg. Tariff 1 Effective from 2015 and Effective from 2021


It would appear you have already decided?

Should the public consultation not have access to this information and these proposed charges?

I disagree with your view -

'It is considered that the information released is sufficient to allow parties to make a meaningful response based on knowledge of the existing fares regime (as supplied) and their own experiences as users of taxis.'

In my opinion the webpage should give more information as I have outlined above(Questions/Answers etc).

Your help will be appreciated.

Thanks


------ Original Message ------
From: "Mahon, Gerry" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Cc: "Abrami, Joe" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; "McCusker, Jacqui" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Friday, 24 Dec, 2021 At 08:18
Subject: Re: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

That report did not progress....... as it was clarified that the consultation had not gone out to all relevant parties.

The proposals will therefore require to be reassessed and depending on responses, possibly reformulated.

There is accordingly no live proposal at this stage.

Regards
Gerry



Sent: 24 December 2021 09:36
To: Mahon, Gerry < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Cc: Abrami, Joe < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; McCusker, Jacqui < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Subject: Re: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Hi Gerry

Thanks for this...........but proposed charges were published.

Perhaps this should be clarified on the webpage to be open & transparent.

Just to finish. You did not answer

- How have the public been made aware of this consultation?

- Where has this consultation been advertised?

Would appreciate your help in giving this information.

Seasons Greetings


------ Original Message ------
From: "Mahon, Gerry" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Wednesday, 29 Dec, 2021 At 00:10
Subject: RE: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

It’s on the website

Gerry

------ Original Message ------
To: "Mahon, Gerry" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Wednesday, 29 Dec, 2021 At 09:47
Subject: RE: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Hi Gerry

Yes, I know(and you know) that it's on the website only because I was sent a link to the page.

How many others have been sent this link?

The website page is not particularly prominent and not one that you come across easily and/or access in the normal course of events.

Surely, if you are going to hold a public consultation then the public have to be told and made aware of the webpage/consultation?

Surely, just putting something on a Council webpage does not do that?

How many of the public are aware of this Public Consultation?

There is nothing on the Website Home Page, Council facebook page, Community Council's pages etc to inform the public that a public consultation is underway and is closing on 4 January 2022.

You have to access the Council website, search for 'Licensing' then scroll down to and click on 'Taxi Fare Review'.

How are the public going to know how to do this and do it by 4 January 2022?

I would opinion that in the interests of openness and transparency

- the public have to be made aware of this webpage and the consultation?

- the public have to be made aware of this webpage and the consultation by it being advertised.

If you do not do this then the public will not be aware of this consultation and the closing date of 4 January 2022.

As a public consultation is this being kept somewhat secretive?

Would appreciate your help in giving the above requested information/clarification.

Thanks

------ Original Message ------
To: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Wednesday, 29 Dec, 2021 At 10:14
Subject: Important - Chair Licensing Committee - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Dear Chair Licensing Committee

Would appreciate if you will read the emails below and let me know your thoughts on the public not being made aware of this public consultation on Taxi Fare Review.

It is important that If you are going to hold a public consultation closing on 4 January 2022, then surely you should let the public know?

Currently, the public have not been told and would appear to be being kept in the dark regarding this public consultation.

Your help will be very much appreciated.

Thanks

These are the proposals contained in Agenda Item 4 for the Licensing Committee 7 December 2021 Meeting.


'APPENDIX 1
EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL
CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982
TAXI TARIFF
EFFECTIVE FROM 14 DECEMBER 2021
JOURNEYS MADE WITHIN EAST RENFREWSHIRE





These are the maximum fares that may be charged by any licensed East Renfrewshire Taxi.

Any complaints should be submitted to the booking office for this taxi or Licensing Section, East Renfrewshire Council, Eastwood Park,
Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, G46 6UG.'

Link -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/licensing-committee-071221

This is the ERC website Home page.

No mention of Public Consultation regarding East Renfrewshire Licensed Taxi Fares and Charges Review - ending on 4 January 2022.

Why are ERC keeping this quiet?

Notice of the consultation can be easily posted on the website home page.

If ERC are carrying out any type of Public Consultation, then surely it is the duty of ERC to let the Public know of the Consultation?

It is then up to the public to decide whether to take part or not.

Otherwise, ERC are influencing the outcome?

------ Original Message ------
From: "Abrami, Joe" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
To: "Mahon, Gerry" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Cc: "McCusker, Jacqui" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Tuesday, 4 Jan, 2022 At 11:23
Subject: RE: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Gerry has explained the position well but perhaps I can clarify further on some of the points/questions you have asked.

The public consultation which took place is not the last opportunity for comment.

This was an additional step to see if any general comments on taxi charging would be made by either those already in the trade or the public.

Any comments received would be taken into account by the committee when considering what changes, if any, to make to the existing tariff.

The proposed charges included in the appendix to the last report are not charges already decided but merely draft suggested charges being a starting point for discussion and consideration.

Whatever charges are agreed at the next committee will form a tariff sheet proposed by the committee for final consideration by the trade and public.

At that stage there will be publication of these final proposals in a newspaper circulating in East Renfrewshire and also probably publication through the council communications section though no details of these are yet available to give to you.

If that final consultation produces any additional comments then they will be taken into account by the committee and they will decide to either introduce the charges as published or make final adjustments and then introduce them.

Either way, no further consultation will take place beyond that point and the new maximum charges will become operational. (I expect that, if no comments are received, delegation will be given to officers to proceed without a further meeting)

The charges are only in respect of taxis not private hire vehicles and are maximum charges so less can be charged by any taxi operator if they prefer to do so.

In answer to your questions , advertising and making the public aware are steps which will be taken in the future.

Regards,
Joe


------ Original Message ------
To: "Abrami, Joe" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >; "Mahon, Gerry" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Cc: "McCusker, Jacqui" < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >
Sent: Tuesday, 4 Jan, 2022 At 13:29
Subject: RE: Please give requested information/answers - East Renfrewshire Council Taxi Fare Review - Public Consultation/Representation

Hi

Thanks for this.

It would help with openness and transparency if all this information you have given had been available on the Council Consultation Webpage and other Council platforms etc

in particular that there were suggested charges already in the public domain and that they were a starting point for discussion and consideration

- 'The proposed charges included in the appendix to the last report are not charges already decided but merely draft suggested charges being a starting point for discussion and consideration.'

I am pleased to see that you accept the public were kept in the dark and were not aware of this public consultation

- 'In answer to your questions , advertising and making the public aware are steps which will be taken in the future.'

Again, your help is appreciated.

Thanks