Dear Editor,

WE wish once again to raise the issue of “Taxis” and “Private hire” vehicles.

We are now 10 days after full council 20th September 2023 and the fact that Cllr Nick Churchill still has not responded to any media story or questions raised after the meeting.

Why hasn’t he raised his head above the parapet? if he’s correct then issue a statement on these issues.

If he does issue another statement perhaps he could also explain why no representative from either H/C or P/H  has not been invited to any licensing meeting since before covid? Also why H/C was not invited nor consulted on the new bus station? 

Perhaps he could also tell us what meetings he and his vice chair (Cllr Souter) has had with the trade in the last three years?

Can he also tell us how in a media response that an operator was doing nothing wrong but in an answer from his leader states something very different? 

We drivers, both Hackney carriage  and private hire, continue to request that Cllr Churchill resigns from being chair of the licensing committee and question that with his attendance currently standing at 57% in all meetings we  wonder if it’s time for a different councillor to serve Sumners and Kingsmoor and call a by election?

The rants that councillor Churchill has on the media proves that he has clearly lost respect with drivers. We will also ask whether his comment that he sent to the media had actually been passed by his group and also why not one of his colleagues actually came out to support him? 

This issue will not go away and we will continue in our fight for fairness, transparency and honesty, this clearly is at amiss at the moment with this chair (Cllr Churchill) in situ.

The most respectful thing for Cllr Churchill to do is resign or be removed and allow someone else to steer the ship on the right course. 

Lee Dangerfield 

Private Hire Driver 

Editor’s Note: We have contacted Cllr Churchill but have yet to receive a reply.

Questions at September’s Council Meeting are below