Heywood

Public force taxi plan off the road

Controversial plans to open a taxi office in part of a car wash and tyre centre on Bury Street have been thrown out

A public outcry has forced planners to throw out plans for yet another taxi office in Heywood .

Controversial plans to open a taxi office in part of a car wash and tyre centre on Bury Street had been recommended for approval by planning officers.

But at a heated meeting of Heywood township planning sub-committee councillors decided the plan would have a negative impact on residents living close by.

At the meeting a number of people were asked to leave after making repeated emotional outbursts opposing the plan.

At the meeting Councillor Carol Wardle said: “I cannot go with this. There will be more vehicle manoeuvres and in my view the road safety of local residents will be affected.”
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Coventry Killers

Men who tried to kill cabbie lose appeal against sentences

Top judges rejected arguments life sentences for Imran Khan from Reading and Amjed Mahmood and Jaspal Kajlla of Coventry were wrong

Three men serving life sentences for the attempted murder of a taxi driver during a savage family feud have failed in their appeals against their jail terms.

Imran Khan, 36, of Lower Earley, Coventry men, Amjed Mahmood, 33, and Jaspal Kajla, 38, plotted to murder Qadir Hussain, also from Lower Earley,  in revenge for violence between the Khan and Hussain families in Pakistan.

The father-of-three miraculously survived after he was shot in the chest, arm and shoulder outside his Reading home in September 2010.

In the Court of Appeal today, lawyers representing the trio argued their life terms, handed out at Reading Crown Court, were wrong.

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/men-who-tried-kill-cabbie-6727603
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Worcester

Taxi drivers in Worcester: changes to the appeals system
THE penalty points system for taxi drivers in Worcester is being changed - so politicians have less control over unruly cabbies.

In a bid to save money, Worcester City Council wants to slash the number of committee meetings where drivers face punishment for bad behaviour.

Instead, licensing officers are being handed powers to make behind-closed-doors decisions on the penalties.

The controversial new procedure will apply to appeals, so if cabbies think a decision is too harsh it will be handled by a member of staff.

Until now, disgruntled taxi drivers can appeal to a licensing sub-committee hearing, where three politicians from the main political parties are called to make a decision.

The change was voted through by the licensing committee by six votes to four, despite angry claims it is "anti democratic".

The council says since last June, when the penalty points system was toughened up to crack down on standards and better weed out poor drivers, five hearings have had to take place involving three different cabbies, costing taxpayers valuable money.

Councillor Alan Amos, speaking during the meeting, said: "I've got real concerns over this - there is no evidence the current scheme isn't working.

"We've had three drivers appeal since the scheme changed, hardly a flood. We are substituting a quasi-judicial function for an internal process, and that worries me.

"Yes, there may be costs involved in arranging these sub-committees but democracy has a price, and we should pay it.

"It's pretty bad and desperate. We're going down a slippery road."

The politicians also said licensing officers would be less likely to overturn a decision to award points as they are certain to know the fellow member of staff who originally dished it out.

Councillor Chris MIitchell said: "I agree with Alan totally - I've got great concerns that if we start marking our own homework, personalities will get in the way."

Under the council's rules penalty points can be handed out for a multitude of offences, from over-ranking to not giving the correct change, being rude or parking badly.

Before last June drivers needed to amass 20 points before they were hauled before a sub-committee and faced punishment, which could include being struck off, but it was reduced to 15.

Points also stay active for two years, whereas before last June it was only one, and appealing can often keep them away from punishment if it gets overturned, Some other politicians backed the change, saying they should trust the staff.

Councillor Roger Knight said: "If we can't trust our officers to adjudicate on points we shouldn't be employing them."

Councillor Jo Hodges said: "Are people now aware of the financial situation we are in because of the cuts?

"There is a great deal of costs to these committees, from booking the rooms to getting legal advice, gathering the councillors, all that could be saved."


The new procedure will start from September.