ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 4TH June 2018
Venue: Rugby Tavern WC1
Committee present:
Trevor Merralls – General Secretary, Angela Clarkson – Deputy General Secretary and chair for AGM, Steve Jones – Treasurer, Sarah Smith – Secretary, Brian Ghairban, Jamie Dawson
Lee Osbourne and Jamie Roberts sent apologies unable to attend due to other commitments.
Meeting started 7pm
Trevor opened the meeting. Thanked former committee members Steve Dewell, Lloyd Hilbrown, Rosh Varma, John Lowe for all their hard work in the past year. Welcomed two new members Jamie Dawson and Sarah Smith.
SOCIAL MEDIA RUMOURS-
The first topic of the evening addressed was the rumours on twitter and other SM with regards the UCG and LTDA. Trevor stated the UCG are not in the LTDA’s payroll or anyone else’s payroll. UCG and LTDA went halves on the cost of hiring a tech forensic expert, who inspected Uber’s operation mode. That was the extent of it. Nothing more.
We wish the LTDA the best of luck in the upcoming court case.
There is no further connection other than supporting a united front.
Trevor addressed the claim UCG have been too quiet, saying “battles are won by fighters and people who what to put the time in, not keyboard warriors. We don’t have time to fight amongst ourselves the trade is at crucial stage”.
Bank Junction – A decision on the scheme by City of London has been postponed until September. Our rep will attend a meeting in July
ENGAGEMENT POLICY AND TFL MEETINGS –
Trevor stated the trade is at a crucial point from a negotiation point of view. We have seen our income eroded and our outgoings increase. We now face the prospect of 63k (75k with interest) cost of the first electric vehicle until others enter the market but they may also be just as costly. We also face increase costs as regards to CC processing and app fees. While our competitors, PH minicabs face lower costs and less regulation.
The UCG were the only org to oppose the credit card machines being mandated. Warning against increasing costs. This has proved to be the case. They were brought in by TFL “under the condition of fitness rule” when credit is not legal tender. (The only ones who can appeal this are the group that took the original case to court).
The 20p compensation was inadequate and poorly thought out. Also penalising customers who pay by cash. The operator’s fees have slowly increased and in our opinion will continue to do so, possibly even to as much as 10-20%, in the coming years. It will be the same with apps. If this is not stopped we will only have ourselves to blame.
The trade has been poorly represented in the past 15 years, too much appeasement was made, and we now find ourselves in a “take it or leave it do as your told situation”. This must stop and TFL brought to account.
MEMBERS VICTORY OVER TFL IN COURT
Angela recounted the case in detail. Member had licence revoked before becoming a UCG member. Our legal team, Chiltern Law, demolished the case against him. One happy member back on the road.
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
A Q&A session was held on all the above topics plus also touching on enforcement. We hope to have an article on enforcement on our webpage in www.ucglondon.org.uk the near future.
The meeting closed at 9pm
