Agenda item

Members were informed that Thames Valley Police (TVP) had contacted the Licensing Department with regard to the number of sexual assaults that had been recorded in the Thames Valley Area by either hackney carriage or private hire drivers. It was reported that the TVP Public Vulnerable People Strategy Unit had recorded eight sexual assaults in the Slough area for the period April 2007 to March 2010. 

The Licensing Officer explained that TVP had requested that a condition be added to all private hire and hackney carriage drivers licences that ‘drivers may not initiate in any dialogue of a “sexual nature” with a passenger. Licensed drivers are not permitted to become involved “sexually” or have sexual contact, even with consent, whilst in a licensed vehicle.’ It was clarified that this condition was being proposed as when allegations of such assaults were made, the most frequent defence was that the passenger consented to the activity.

It was brought to Members attention that neighbouring local authorities had adopted, or were in the process of adopting, the proposed condition. The Licensing Officer stated that adoption of the condition would assist in protecting both the drivers and members of the public.

Whilst accepting the general principle of adopting the proposed condition, a number of members suggested that it would be beneficial for a consultation to be carried out with representatives of the trade. It was stated that a consultation would be an effective tool in communicating to the drivers the importance of the condition and ensuring that they were aware that it would be added to their private hire/hackney carriage driver’s licence.

Resolved – That a consultation with regard to the proposed condition be carried out with representatives of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trade and that the matter be reported to the 3^rd November 2010 Licensing Committee.