Agenda item - Guidance for CCTV Monitoring in Licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles

Report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection (copy attached)

32.1       The Committee considered a report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection seeking approval of the guidance regarding the use of CCTV monitoring in licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles.

32.2       The Chairman. Councillor Cobb explained that the wording of the bullet points relating to general conditions and retention of CCTV images contained typing errors and needed to be amended. These amendments were agreed and noted and are contained in the resolution set out below.

32.3       Councillor Kitcat sought clarification in relation to the bullet point contained on Page 38 of the circulated papers relating to data controllers, he queried whether this would be enforceable. The Licensing Manager explained that taxi drivers would act as their own data controllers, regulators would be attached to each circuit.

32.4         Councillor Older referred to the arrangements to be put into place in relation to audio recordings and referred to measures to be taken to  ensure that this did not occur. The Chairman stated that such use would only be permitted in very exceptional circumstances where recording was triggered due to a specific threat.

32.5       Councillor Wrighton queried whether it would be possible to add a condition requiring a panic button to be fitted which could be used by passengers too and whether signage displayed in vehicles refer to the existence of audio recording facilities in addition to the panic button. Councillor Hyde stated that she had understood that  panic buttons would be fitted for use by customers and drivers.

32.5         Councillor Watkins stated that before amending the existing wording . in this respect it was important to establish that it would be possible for two buttons to be fitted. The representative of the trade who was present was unable to confirm whether or not that was so. Following discussion it was agreed that more information was required and that officers would seek to ascertain whether or not it was feasible for two buttons to be fitted and to report back to a future meeting of the Committee. It was also agreed that further work would be carried out in relation to the fitting of audio equipment and further information provided to the Committee.

32.6       RESOLVED – That the Committee approves the CCTV guidance contained in the report as contained in Appendix A or to other similar standard as agreed by the Head of Planning and Public Protection and the amendments set out below.

              General Requirements

              Bullet point 3:

              “No recording or other material created by the system shall be used or distributed for any purpose other than allowed by the above or kept for at least 28 days if not required under the above.”

              Retention of CCTV Images

              Bullet point 2:

              “In-vehicle CCTV equipment selected for installation must include an automatic overwriting function, so that images are only retained within the installed system storage device  for at least 28 days from the date of capture”.