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15
Oct
'Infuriated': Taxi driver criticises North Yorkshire councillor pay rise plan after taxi fare increases were denied
A Ripon taxi driver has been left ‘infuriated’ after North Yorkshire counillors look set to be awarded a pay rise despite the council rejecting an increase in taxi fares.
The council’s Independent Remuneration Panel for Member Allowances recommended increasing the amount each councillor receives by an inflation-linked 3.6% this week, attributing it to an “increased workload of councillors”.
This would hike the 90 councillors’ annual allowance from £17,340 each in 2025/26 to £17,964 in 2026/27.
However, Richard Fieldman, a local taxi driver in Ripon, has accused the council of treating the taxi trade as “complete non-entities” amid the planned increase.
He pointed out that at a Conservative-controlled executive meeting in September, senior councillors voted against increasing current taxi fare levels despite rising costs.
In an email sent to councillors, which has been seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Fieldman said:
After seeing a report by the Stray Ferret regarding a pay increase for North Yorkshire councillors, I find it absolutely infuriating that it is only a few weeks ago since you refused a tariff increase to the region's taxi drivers. Talk about rubbing salt into the wounds, and treating the trade as complete non-entities.
May I remind you that we are subject to the same cost of living increases as you, the same increases in expenses, probably more so, as it costs us to earn our income, and in running our businesses. There is no wonder drivers are leaving the trade on a daily basis, and your supply of public transport is on a downward spiral. Totally disgusted with this inconsiderate attitude by North Yorkshire councillors towards the taxi trade, and its short-sightedness.
Harrogate taxi rank
In response, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said the proposal "has yet to be discussed, or agreed, by both the executive committee and the council".
He added:
Then if they are approved, it is up to each member to take all, some or none of the approved allowances.
Councillors are not formally paid but receive a basic allowance to reflect the time they give.
The four-person panel, chaired by Volvo Construction Equipment divisional director Philip Battle, said it considered factors including the increased workload on councillors since the transition to a unitary authority in 2023 reduced the number of councillors in North Yorkshire from 319 to 90, the need to attract and retain high-quality candidates from a variety of backgrounds, budgetary constraints and inflation.
Senior councillors will vote on the planned increase at an executive meeting on October 21.
Fare increases
Local taxi firms had been campaigning for an increase in fares last month, to offset the increased minimum wages and national insurance fees that were implemented in April.
They also expressed concerns about local people choosing services like Uber instead of them.
The council, which licenses hackney carriages, ran a six-week consultation on fares from June 16 to July 28, after which it decided against increasing them. Cllr Richard Foster, executive member for licensing, said the council had to be “mindful of setting a price that is acceptable to the customer as well as the trade”.
Fares for hackney carriages, which can be hailed in the street, are based on distance and waiting time, with an initial flag fall charge followed by charges per distance and per minute of waiting time.
They are not applicable to private hire vehicles, which are booked in advance, as these are set by the operator rather than the licensing authority.
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