Implementation of S167 lists of taxis - previously B

The request was successful.

Dear Medway Council,

I am writing this Freedom of Information Request in relation to your Council's compliance or otherwise with the Government's statutory guidance on implementation of S165-167 of the Equality Act, relating to taxi services for wheelchair users. All taxi licensing bodies are obliged under S167(6) to have "due regard" to the document "Access for wheelchair users to taxis and private hire vehicles: statutory guidance" at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy... . The questions I raise below should be interpreted as requests for recorded information under the Freedom of Information Act.

I have previously made two similar requests to you, one in April 2017 and one in November 2017. I am now requesting an update to assess the impact of implementing this legislation, 12 months after it was commenced. Please note: this request is not identical to my previous requests and in any case asks for updated information as of the time of sending the request. It is therefore not appropriate to respond simply "see previous answer" or "situation unchanged".

In response to my previous FOI request on similar matters in November 2017, you indicated that you intended to implement a S167 list by now (May 2018.)

1) The Government guidance states: "Whilst LAs are under no specific legal obligation to maintain a list under section 167, the Government recommends strongly that they do so. Without such a list the requirements of section 165 of the Act do not apply, and drivers may continue to refuse the carriage of wheelchair users, fail to provide them with assistance, or to charge them extra."
Please can you indicate whether you have now implemented a list of wheelchair accessible taxis under your powers set out in Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010, and/or a list of wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles?

2) If you do now have such a list, please provide information in response to the following questions 2a) to 2j):

2a) On what date was it put in place?

2b) The statutory guidance states "The Government therefore recommends that a vehicle should only be included in the authority’s (S167) list if it would be possible for the user of a “reference wheelchair” to enter, leave and travel in the passenger compartment in safety and reasonable comfort whilst seated in their wheelchair."
Is this the definition you have used for a taxi or PHV to be considered wheelchair accessible for the purposes of the list?

2c) The statutory guidance states: "Before drivers can be subject to the duties under section 165 of the Act, the LA must first publish their list of designated vehicles, and clearly mark it as ‘designated for the purposes of section 165 of the Act’. LAs should ensure that their designated lists are made easily available to passengers, and that vehicle owners and drivers are made aware. Lists should set out the details of the make and model of the vehicle, together with specifying whether the vehicle is a taxi or private hire vehicle, and stating the name of operator."
Have you published your list? Is it marked "designated for the purposes of Section 165 of the Act"? Is the make and model of each vehicle listed? Is each vehicle identified as a taxi or a private hire vehicle? Is the name of the operator of each vehicle given in the list? Have you made owners and drivers of vehicles on the list aware that their vehicle has been listed?

2d) The guidance states: "it would also be helpful to include information about the size and weight of wheelchair that can be accommodated, and whether wheelchairs that are larger than a “reference wheelchair” can be accommodated."
Does your list include information on each vehicle as to the size and weight of wheelchair that can be accommodated, and whether wheelchairs larger than a "reference wheelchair" can be accommodated?

2e) The guidance states: "We encourage LAs to provide drivers of taxis and PHVs who are not exempt from the duties with clear guidance on their duties with respect to the carriage of passengers in wheelchairs, either as part of existing driver-facing guidance, or as supplementary communication."
Have you provided non-exempt taxi/PHV drivers with such guidance?

2f) The guidance states: "We recommend that licensing authority rules for drivers are updated to make clear when a meter can and cannot be left running".
Have you updated such rules to make this clear?

2g) The guidance states: "Section 172 of the Act enables vehicle owners to appeal against the decision of a LA to include their vehicles on the designated list. That appeal should be made to the Magistrate’s Court, or in Scotland the sheriff, and must be made within 28 days of the vehicle in question being included on the LA’s published list."
Please tell me how many such applications have been made to the Magistrates Court, and how many have been successful.

2h) How many drivers has the authority prosecuted for discriminatory behaviour contrary to S165 of the Act? How many such prosecutions were successful? What were the sentences?

2i) How many drivers licensed by yourselves have been prosecuted by other people or bodies for failure to comply with S165 of the Act? How many such prosecutions were successful? What were the sentences?

2j) Where drivers have been prosecuted under S165 of the Act, thus affecting their standing as a "fit and proper person", what resultant disciplinary action have you taken in respect of their taxi or private hire vehicle drivers' licenses?

3) If you do not have a S167 list or lists now, please indicate if you still intend to produce such a list.

4) Irrespective of whether you have created a list or not or indeed whether you intend to create such a list, since 2010 you have been obliged to process applications under Section 166 of the Equality Act for driver medical exemptions from the duty to transport and not discriminate against wheelchair users. The Guidance states; "the Act allows LAs to grant exemptions from the duties to individual drivers. These provisions are contained in section 166, and were commenced on 1st October 2010."

4a) How many exemptions have you granted under S166 of the Equality Act 2010?

4b) The guidance states: "We understand that some licensing authorities have already put in place procedures for accessing and exempting drivers, and as an absolute minimum, we think that the evidence provided should be in the form of a letter or report from a general practitioner."
Do you accept or require a letter or report from a GP to process applications for driver exemption under S166?

4c) The guidance states: "The Government’s view is that decisions on exemptions will be fairer and more objective if medical assessments are undertaken by professionals who have been specifically trained and who are independent of the applicant. We would recommend that independent medical assessors are used where a long-term exemption is to be issued, and that LAs use assessors who hold appropriate professional qualifications and who are not open to bias because of a personal or commercial connection to the applicant"
Have you appointed independent medical assessors to determine applications for medical exemption under S166?

4d) Please provide a copy of your application form for driver exemption under S166.

4e) The guidance states: "Section 172 of the Act enables drivers to appeal against the decision of a LA not to issue an exemption certificate. That appeal should be made to the Magistrate’s Court, or a sheriff in Scotland, and must be made within 28 days beginning with the date of the refusal."
How many appeals against refusal to issue S166 exemptions have been heard?

4f) How many appeals against refusal to issue S166 exemptions were successful?

5) The guidance states: "We would therefore recommend that LAs also publish a list of vehicles that are accessible to passengers in wheelchairs who are able to transfer from their wheelchair into a seat within the vehicle. It should be made clear however that this list of vehicles has not been published for the purposes of section 165 of the Act and drivers of those vehicles are therefore not subject to the legal duties to provide assistance."
Do you currently publish a list of vehicles that are accessible to passengers in wheelchairs who are able to transfer from their wheelchairs into a seat within the vehicle?

Yours faithfully,

Doug Paulley

freedom, Medway Council

Dear Mr Paulley

Thank you for contacting Medway Council. This response is to acknowledge your email has been received. If this is an initial request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004, you can expect to receive a response within 20 working days.

If your email relates to a current request for information, your email will be forwarded to the relevant case officer.
Should your email be because you are dissatisfied with the way we have processed your request the Council has an internal review process and your email will be forwarded to the Information Governance Team for review, you should receive a response within 20 working days.
If you remain dissatisfied you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioners' Office (ICO) www.ico.org.uk/concerns

Thank you

Kind regards

Kayleigh Williams
Information Governance Apprentice
Medway Council and Gravesham Borough Council Gun Wharf Dock Road Chatham
ME4 4TR
www.medway.gov.uk
[Medway Council request email]
01634 332044

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Dear freedom,

Why have you not responded to my FOI request "promptly, and within 20 working days" as required by the Act?

Please do so immediately.

Yours sincerely,

Doug Paulley

freedom, Medway Council

Good morning Mr Paulley,

I apologise for the late response to your Freedom of Information request, the relevant department has been emailed to see when the response will be sent out to you.

Kind regards

Kayleigh Williams
Information Governance Apprentice
Medway Council and Gravesham Borough Council Gun Wharf Dock Road Chatham
ME4 4TR
www.medway.gov.uk
[Medway Council request email]
01634 332044

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francis, mandy, Medway Council

1 Attachment

Good afternoon Mr Paulley,

 

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to your recent FOI
request, this is due to some personnel changes which have had an
unforeseen impact on our service.

 

My response is attached.

 

Regards

 

Mandy

 

 

Mandy Francis

Principal Licensing and Enforcement Officer

Licensing Unit

Medway Council

Gun Wharf, Dock Road

Chatham

Kent ME4 4TR

 

Phone: 01634 337108

Email: [1][email address]

Visit our website: [2]www.medway.gov.uk

 

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Dear Medway Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Medway Council's handling of my FOI request 'Implementation of S167 lists of taxis - previously B'.

In response to my question

"4a) How many exemptions have you granted under S166 of the Equality Act 2010?"

you responded

"4a. July 2018"

Which doesn't make sense.

[ GIVE DETAILS ABOUT YOUR COMPLAINT HERE ]

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...

Yours faithfully,

Doug Paulley

freedom, Medway Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Paulley,

Please find attached Medway Council acknowledgment to your Internal review request

Kind regards

Kayleigh Williams
Information Governance Apprentice
Medway Council and Gravesham Borough Council Gun Wharf Dock Road Chatham
ME4 4TR
www.medway.gov.uk
[Medway Council request email]
01634 332044

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freedom, Medway Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Paulley,

Please find attached Medway Council's response to your Internal Review request

Kind regards

Kayleigh Williams
Information Governance Apprentice
Medway Council and Gravesham Borough Council Gun Wharf Dock Road Chatham
ME4 4TR
www.medway.gov.uk
[Medway Council request email]
01634 332044

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