The Sustainable Travel Group

Welcome to:

Taxi Operators’ Forum

13th May 2014

Taxi Forum

Introductions

Ashley Holland (Chair)

Team Leader – Contracts TeamMark Watters

Team Leader – Business Development & Support

Peter Haines

Quality Officer – Quality Team

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Agenda

• Housekeeping– Please turn mobiles off, no fire drills expected

– Please hold all questions until the very end

• Review of the year• Presentation from Mark Goddard

(Safeguarding)• Working Group Nominations 2014-15• Questions and Answers / Your Views session

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Review of 2013/14 (with the help of the Working Group)

• Changes to transport provision policies

(Mainstream, SEN & LBS)• Contract issues• DBS/CRB scheme• Training / Safeguarding

(Presentation from Mark Goddard)• East Midlands Shared Services

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School transport update

No change in Mainstream Transport Policy for September 2014 other than charges to parents increased from £252 to £425 (post 16) and £450 (denominational/faith school transport)

Significant changes to Mainstream Transport Policy proposed for September 2015 (Currently under consultation).

For pupils aged 5 -16 years of age living over the statutory walking distances of 2 miles for primary school pupils and 3 miles for secondary school pupils:

• Free transport to the nearest school with places• Free transport to the nearest Leicestershire School with available

places. School must offer an entry point which is compatible with the current school attended by the pupil

• Free transport to those pupils who live within the TEA (catchment) area where the school attended has not changed its age range or catchment area since May 2012

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For Post 16 pupils living over 3 miles • Assisted transport (not free) to the nearest 6th form

school or FE Establishment

• Assisted transport to the nearest Leicestershire 6th form or Leicestershire FE Establishment

• Assisted transport to the those pupils who live within the catchment area where the school attended has not changed it’s age range or TEA (catchment) area since May 2012

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SEN Transport Policy

No significant changes to SEN Transport policy for 2014/15

• Charges to pupils under statutory school age and post 16 students increased from £252 to £425 (low income exemptions apply)

• Continue protocol in relation to transport to alternative address requests made by parents (only approved if no additional cost)

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Local Bus Policy changes

• A number of changes proposed to contracted local bus services across the county

• Changes anticipated from October 2014

• New opportunity’s for taxi operators (demand responsive transport (DRT)

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Contractual Issues

• SV3 Framework • TUPE• Payments for waiting time and severe

delays/roadworks• Cover charges (30% of daily contract price)• Email tendering• 2014-15 Academic Year

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SV3 Framework• Extension of current Framework for 1 further

year• Details of your inclusion on our frameworks are

publicly available (on website)• We share mailing lists with other LAs – this

may generate more business for you and helps keep you informed of what each LA is doing

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TUPE Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)

• TUPE may apply• Notice to LCC• Provision of information• Agreement between operators• Tribunal / Costs• Seek Legal Advice

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Payments for waiting time and severe delays

• Waiting Time (must be agreed in advance or at the time of the incident)

• Severe traffic delays (irregular delays not reimbursed)

• Valeting payments (first occasion – reimbursement will be considered)

• Damage costs (first occasion – reimbursement will be considered)

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Cover Charges

• Expectation that operator will have sufficient cover arrangements

• Option for LCC to provide cover (emergency cover)

• Charges 30% of contract price

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Email tendering Issues

• A reminder to please quote• You might think you won’t win because you think

the price is high or the job is out of your area, but we do have some contracts with little interest therefore please bid!

• If ‘you’re not in you can’t win’!

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Email tendering issuesWe have had a number of contractors who have recently not been fully completing email tender returns.

Example:

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Email tendering issues

Please remember to fully complete Section A before returning your email tender.

If you do not you may not win the tender even if you are the lowest price i.e. if we do not know who you are or what you can offer in respect of vehicles and escorts etc; we cannot chase round seeking clarification. In these cases we may simply go to the next nearest lowest quote from an operator who has completed the form correctly.

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Forthcoming academic year 2014-15

• Contract planning already underway

• Changes kept to a minimum

• Some changes unavoidable

• Parents views sought (considered)

• Email Tender evaluation

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DBS (CRB) Update

• New DBS system now in place

• Requirements of taxi operators, drivers and escorts (disclosures)

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Training Update

• Safeguarding (Contact Visits) – Mark Goddard• Other Training Courses

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Compliance – Issues of the moment 1

• Requirement of taxi operator to provide updated information about their business (Selling, change of address, factoring arrangements, etc)

• Requirement of taxi operator to provide updated information about their taxi passengers (change of address, no longer attending, change of provision required)

• Child seat provision• Driver registration scheme – contractors are reminded to

notify the STG when setting on drivers who are new to them, or indeed when drivers leave them.

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Compliance – Issues of the moment 2

• Safeguarding– Facebook™, Twitter™ and the internet– SMS text, Mobile phones

• ‘Guidelines’ leaflets have been updated and are available online on our website.

• Operators not contactable during office hours• ‘E’ cigarettes: not allowed

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eAuctions

• No plans to use eAuction tender process for 2014-15

• Contracts will be tendered by Email Tender• eAuctioning still part of Council’s tendering

portfolio

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Invoicing – The EMSS project

Leicestershire County Council and Nottingham City Council have entered into a partnership - East Midlands Shared Services (EMSS) - to provide finance and HR/Payroll transactional services to their respective councils. • LCC aware of problems with the new system• Have worked hard to solve issues and now more streamlined.• Any remaining issues can be channelled through the Business Development & Support Team

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Working Group nominations

• Remit of the working group:– For both the Authority and taxi companies to gain an insight and understanding of the aspects of contract work that are important to them and work together to address any general issues that may arise

– For LCC to pass on information on relevant policy or legislative changes, duty of care issues and general information affecting the taxi market

– To discuss new ways of working and to work in partnership

– To look at all aspects of LCC contract work for mutual benefit

– To share the discussion with all in the market via the published minutes

• Please contact Mark Watters or a member of staff in the STG with your nomination.

• We are looking for 1-2 people from up to 10 companies to form the 2014/15 working group to meet 3 times between now and April 2015.

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Q & A SessionPlease keep questions to a “general

interest” for all here today.

Views on?

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Working group nominations and further information

See us at the end of this meeting or make an appointment By phone: 0116 3050001 and ask for the Business Development & Support Team By email: STG@leics.gov.uk In writing:

Business Development & Support Team

Sustainable Travel Group

Environment & Transport Department

Leicestershire County Council

County Hall

Glenfield

Leicester LE3 8RJ

Our website: www.leics.gov.uk/highways/passenger_transport