Disclosure Log

Use this part of the site to view the Authorities disclosure log Database.

Question

For the purposes of this request, please include both Hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers, where data is available. Please provide, where held, the following information: 1. The total number of licensed taxi and PHV drivers registered with your authority in each of the past five financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24 inclusive). a) If possible, please provide a breakdown of driver numbers by licence type (e.g. Hackney carriage, PHV, dual badge) for each year. 1. Whether your authority currently requires licensed taxi and/or PHV drivers to complete safeguarding training as part of their initial licence application and/or renewal. a) Is this training delivered face-to-face, online, or both. 1. Whether your authority currently requires licensed taxi and/or PHV drivers to complete disability awareness training as part of their initial licence application and/or renewal. a) Is this training delivered face-to-face, online, or both. 1. The total number of drivers who completed each type of training (safeguarding and/or disability awareness) in each of the past five financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24 inclusive). 1. The total annual spend by your authority on driver safeguarding and/or disability awareness training (if applicable) in each of the past five financial years. If training is paid for directly by drivers, please confirm this. 1. If safeguarding or disability training is required, how frequently must drivers repeat or renew this training (e.g. every three years, one-off only, at each renewal)? 1. Does your authority maintain a central record of completed driver training (safeguarding/disability), or are drivers required to submit their own evidence? 1. Is your authority’s current taxi/PHV driver training policy or guidance publicly available online? If so, please provide a link or URL. 1. Does your authority provide any support or alternatives for drivers with low digital literacy, disabilities, or other accessibility needs when completing mandatory training? For clarity, if you are unable to respond to any specific question(s), I would still be grateful for responses to any parts of the request where recorded information is held. Partial responses are very much appreciated. If it would be helpful, I am happy to accept the data in table or spreadsheet format. The following column structure is suggested: {Year | Total Licensed Drivers | Hackney / PHV / Dual Split | Safeguarding Required (Y/N) | Safeguarding Delivery Method (Face-to-Face/Online/Both) | Disability Training Required (Y/N) | Disability Training Delivery Method (Face-to-Face/Online/Both) | Safeguarding Completions | Disability Completions | Council Spend (£) | Paid by Drivers (Y/N) | Training Renewal Frequency | Completion Tracking Method | Online Policy Link | Accessibility Support Offered (Y/N)}

Answer

Please provide, where held, the following information: 1. The total number of licensed taxi and PHV drivers registered with your authority in each of the past five financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24 inclusive). a) If possible, please provide a breakdown of driver numbers by licence type (e.g. Hackney carriage, PHV, dual badge) for each year. Our system is unable to produce data for previous financial years. Currently, we have 78 drivers who hold hackney carriage driver licences, 26 who hold private hire driver licences and 116 who hold both licences. 2. Whether your authority currently requires licensed taxi and/or PHV drivers to complete safeguarding training as part of their initial licence application and/or renewal. a) Is this training delivered face-to-face, online, or both. New drivers must undertake a knowledge test in person which includes a section on safeguarding. 3. Whether your authority currently requires licensed taxi and/or PHV drivers to complete disability awareness training as part of their initial licence application and/or renewal. a) Is this training delivered face-to-face, online, or both. There is no specific disability training. 4. The total number of drivers who completed each type of training (safeguarding and/or disability awareness) in each of the past five financial years (2019/20 to 2023/24 inclusive). Since the knowledge test has been facilitated by Merthyr Tydfil CBC, it has been undertaken 113 times. 5. The total annual spend by your authority on driver safeguarding and/or disability awareness training (if applicable) in each of the past five financial years. If training is paid for directly by drivers, please confirm this. Nil, the drivers pay the cost of the knowledge test. 6. If safeguarding or disability training is required, how frequently must drivers repeat or renew this training (e.g. every three years, one-off only, at each renewal)? New drivers only. 7. Does your authority maintain a central record of completed driver training (safeguarding/disability), or are drivers required to submit their own evidence? The knowledge test is facilitated by the licensing department so we have records of the tests that have been undertake 8. Is your authority’s current taxi/PHV driver training policy or guidance publicly available online? If so, please provide a link or URL. https://www.merthyr.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits/taxi-licences/hackney-carriage-drivers-licence/ 9. Does your authority provide any support or alternatives for drivers with low digital literacy, disabilities, or other accessibility needs when completing mandatory training? No.