Taxi Licences Could Increase by Five Per Cent in Blaenau Gwent

TAXI licences are one of a number of licensing fees that could go by five per cent in Blaenau Gwent from April 1.
On Tuesday January 30 at a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s General licensing committee, councillors will receive a report that recommends increasing licence fees by five per cent from April with further increases mooted for the following two years.
The increased licence fees cover taxis, scrap metal, street trading and sex establishments.
These will be the first proposed increases since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Trading standards and licensing team manager, Steve Osborne said:  “Members will be aware of the pressures placed upon businesses during the
global pandemic and that the authority has provided some support for
licensed trade by not increasing fees since 2019/20.”
Mr Osborne explained that the council’s Regeneration and Community Services chiefs have proposed that the fees are increased in line to move towards full-cost recovery over the next three -year period.
This is the impetus behind the five per cent rise in 2024/2025 with two per cent increases expected for both 2025/2026 and 2026/2027
Mr Osborne said: “In times of increasing local authority austerity, fees are an important element of income.”
If councillors agree the draft licence fee increases the council would start a public consultation period on the proposal.
Mr Osborne said: “Should no representations be received against the proposal; it is recommended that the fees are implemented with effect from April 1.”
If anyone responds to the consultation Mr Osborne said that the responsible director (Ellie Fry) would have the final decision on the price increases.
This means that the fees are set to be:
New Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New licence application – £310 – from the current £295.
Renewal licence –£243 – up from the current £239. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sex Establishment ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New licence application – £643 – up from the current £612.42.
Renewal application – £431 – up from the current £410.82. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Street traders: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New licence application – £682 – up from the current £649.98.
Renewal licence application – £631 – up from the current £600.78.
Temporary trading licence (28 days) – £72 – up from the current £69. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Scrap Metal: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New licence application – £387 – up from the current £368.26.
Renewal application – £367 – up from the current £349.36. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Scrap Metal site: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New licence – £507 – up from the current £482.56.
Renewal application – £351 – up from the current £334.06. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​