Max Power

The IoM collects VAT and fuel duty, amongst other things, on behalf of HMRC, the island gets a VAT rebate in return.

HMRC is not a Manx body, all payable to the UK, except driver's income tax. We get a partial rebate on VAT only at a pre-determined amount..

Probably not indeed?

We get an amount in rebate on VAT, the UK government take the lion's share, the taxes are not Manx taxes. You're talking about a miniscule amount and it wouldn't even be a consideration of the RTLC I wouldn't think?

Well, I'm certain that it was done in collaboration with the taxi trade, there's no benefit to government in increasing taxi fares? From @piebaps post in the hospitality thread... REVIEW OF FARE METER TARIFF Following the Committee’s invitation to all PPV Operators and interested parties to make proposals or representations in connection with the Committee’s recent review of the fare meter tariff, the Committee hereby gives notice that it has now determined the maximum fares to be charged with effect from 22nd April 2024. The Committee is grateful to those operators and organisations that took time to present submissions. A total of 28 PPV operators made submissions to the RTLC office including members of the Isle of Man Unite Taxi Branch. Input was also received from the Manx Taxi Federation. A summary follows below: Tariff 1 No increase No opinion 39% Between 1% - 5% 7% Between 5% - 8% 46% Flag Drop £4, 30p increments 4% 4% Tariff 2 No increase Between 1% - 5% 39% Reduce to 33% over tariff 1 46% Bring forward to 23:00 (last until 06:00) 7% Flag Drop £5, 30p increments 4% 4% Extras No opinion £1 per extra person, £1 per bag 82% Tariff 3 for Xmas Day (plus others, up to RTLC) 4% £2 airport pick up charge No extras for passengers or bags 7% 4% 4% Page 2 of 11 Circular No: 569 – 12th April 2024 Circular No: 569 – 12th April 2024 Page 3 of 11 The Committee noted that the tariffs had not been increased since 2022 and that inflation and the cost of living had increased markedly since then. The Committee and the Trade are, however, also mindful of the needs of the public as well as the current economic climate which affects everyone. The danger of increasing fares to levels which could prove counterproductive to the taxi industry must be acknowledged along with rising costs. Following careful consideration of the representations and proposals made in connection with the review, the Committee has agreed the following changes to the Tariff;  Tariff 1 to increase by 30p at the flag drop. No change in distances or increments.  Tariff 2 to increase by 40p at the flag drop. No change in distances or increments.  Tariff 2 to start at 23:00 and finish at 06:00 (was 00:00 to 06:00).  The extra charge for picking up from the Airport rank to be increased from £1.50 to £2.00. Tariff 1 – Basic Fares For the first 180 yards or the first 60 seconds £3.80 For each subsequent 180 yards or 45 seconds up to a total distance of 17,640 yards 20p For each subsequent 200 yards or 45 seconds above 17,640 yards 20p Tariff 2 – Premium Rate Periods For the first 170 yards or the first 60 seconds £4.70 For each subsequent 170 yards or 30 seconds up to a total distance of 17,680 yards 30p For each subsequent 200 yards or 30 seconds above 17,680 yards 30p Tariff 2 to apply;  Between 23:00 and 06:00 daily.  After 18:00 on 24th December 2024 (Christmas Eve) and 31st December 2024 (New Year’s Eve).  All day on the following days:  Spring Bank Holiday – 27th May 2024  New Year’s Day – 1st January 2025  TT Bank Holiday – 7th June 2024  Good Friday – 18th April 2025  Tynwald Day – 5th July 2024  Easter Monday – 21st April 2025  Summer Bank Holiday – 26th August 2024  Early May Bank Holiday – 5th May 2025  Christmas Day – 25th December 2024  Spring Bank Holiday – 26th May 2025  Boxing Day – 26th December 2024  TT Bank Holiday – 6th June 2025 Extras Each passenger in addition to the hirer (two children under twelve years of age to be reckoned as one passenger). 50p Each suitcase, perambulator, large parcel, box etc, or wheelchair stowed in the boot of the vehicle – not to be used for groceries, school backpacks, laptop bags or handbags. 50p £2.00 For every journey commencing from the Airport, Ballasalla Contamination fee – for fouling a ply for hire car causing it to go out of service Distance Miles Distance Yards Tariff 1 1 1,760 Tariff 2 £5.60 2 3,520 £7.70 £7.60 3 5,280 £10.70 £9.60 4 7,040 £14.00 £11.60 5 8,800 £17.00 £13.40 6 10,560 £20.00 £15.40 7 12,320 £23.30 £17.40 8 14,080 £26.30 £19.40 9 15,840 £21.20 £29.30 10 £32.60 17,600 £23.20 11 £35.60 19,360 £25.00 12 £38.30 21,120 £26.80 13 £41.00 22,880 £28.60 14 £43.40 24,640 £30.20 15 £46.10 26,400 £32.00 20 £48.80 35,200 £40.80 25 £62.00 44,000 £49.60 30 £75.20 52,800 £58.40 £88.40 £100.00 Operators must ensure that fare-meters calibrated to display the new fares are checked and sealed by the PPV Inspector before the new charges can be applied. This must also happen each time a Ply for Hire car is changed for any reason. The use of a Fare Meter in a Private Hire Car or Minibus is not prohibited by the Road Transport Act 2001 or any of its supporting Regulations. However, if a Private Hire vehicle is fitted with a meter it must be calibrated to display the new fares, and the meter must be checked and sealed by the PPV Inspector in the same way as applies to Ply for Hire cars. Operators should note that a Public Passenger Vehicle shall not be used for hire under a Section 29 Ply for Hire Service Licence unless a fare meter complying with British Standards Institute specification BS EN 50148:1996 for electronic taxi meters is used to calculate the fare. Detailed provision for the fares and fare-meters is made in the Public Passenger Vehicles (Fares and Fare-Meters) Regulations 2002. Copies of this document can be found in the “Document Library” on the RTLC website or obtained from the RTLC office. The PPV Inspector will be conducting meter-checking sessions at times and places to be determined later. Please look out for a subsequent AD&N announcing this. Circular No: 569 – 12th April 2024 Page 4 of 11 1. APPLICATIONS

Well, it's only to benefit the taxi trade, by helping them meet their rising costs, what's the problem?

These are the maximum fares, operators don't have to charge them if they don't want to. They are usually raised or changes made in consultation with the taxi trade, so what's the complaint?

I think that they are intimidated by the likes of Charles Guard and Peter Kelly, and scared that they will be held responsible for allowing it to be demolished, losing all that valuable history and heritage! Shouldn't be in the job, some things you need balls for!

Unfortunately, most of those who made decisions affecting the safety of Summerland are now dead, including the nodding dogs at Douglas Corporation, who changed the by laws to allow the dangerous Oroglass, which was known to be flammable!

I just received a birthday card, posted 1st April, arrived 22nd April from Newcastle.

An interesting, if long, New Yorker article on the ills affecting Britain, including reasons for Brexit. Definitely worth a read if you have time. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/04/01/what-have-fourteen-years-of-conservative-rule-done-to-britain?utm_source=twitter&utm_brand=tny&utm_social-type=owned&utm_medium=social&mbid=social_twitter

There needs to be an urgent review of the planning and heritage building system, listening to a few old codgers with an axe to grind is holding our island back. A lot of really valuable buildings have been let go, but now we are clinging to things which have no value whatsoever in some vain attempt to salvage a history of what??

This frames the planning department as a corrupt and almost criminal organisation! I know for a fact that they were approached prior to purchase to inquire as to the listed state of the building, it still took them two years, at IOMG haste and speed to get it listed! By this time, a lot of money had been spent on plans and the purchase. I also know that the CM is disgusted with the underhand shenanighans which have shamed the government and gone against the will of the majority! Perhaps Mr Kelly and Mr Guard would like to take over the financial burden of restoring this valuable warehouse asset to the island's heritage? I'm getting really sick of being held to ransom by dead people, or those who are about to die!

I can believe that, from another industry and time. So busy that there isn't time to think, believing that you must be making money, but you are missing the basics and making sure that you charge for things properly, are buying things properly and taking every selling opportunity that arises. You are then busy cleaning up, cashing up and getting ready to do it all again tomorrow. investing in decent staff frees you up to make sure that things are done properly.

What is so different which couldn't be covered in a licensing interview, surely the general principles are the same? We are very fond of Manx solutions to Manx problems, a job creation scheme?

Some professional competency qualifications are conducted online, in fact training seems to be heading that way in many spheres.

It's not that obvious, competency qualifications from UK providers are accepted by other government bodies, road transport operators for example. There's nothing unique about the island's licensed trade, if there is I stand corrected but would ask the question why?

As a police officer Derek, I'm certain that you will agree that you see a lot of things differently to the majority of well behaved people who are out for a weekend, and are always looking for signs of escalation? In my time I've seen escalation because of the police presence on quite a few occasions, this has either been over zealousness or the cops actually fancying a bit of action themselves. You'll never convince me that the operation to decimate the nightlife of Douglas was a good thing for the public in general. If it won an international award, I'll go out on a limb and say that it was an international policing award, rather than an award for promoting a conjugal nightlife environment?

Yes, but that time is when everybody else has gone home too. A bit like taxi drivers who swoop on the three disabled spaces outside Colebournes at 6pm every night. There are still places to go at that time, but the parking controllers have gone home! Just because people are disabled doesn't mean that they can't have a life.

But that's doing things the wrong way around surely, because there's not enough cops everyone has to suffer, businesses, punters, the exchequer and the island in general. A typical Isle of Man Government answer to a growing market! The scouse bouncer was the guy who claims that he was brought over by the police to clean up the nightlife of Douglas, a hoodlum who still gets his staff into pubs at a price, whether they need him or not. I saw him commit a few cases of dubious professional misconduct. I saw his staff at Seven Kingdom when it first opened, people out for a meal and a quiet drink with two lazy bastards on the door, the only action they had was loudly telling everyone to drink up and get out!

The Barbary Coast, but it's the daytime that's the main issue.

I think I've probably answered my own question, Cllr Andrew Bentley seems the likely culprit, with his 'cafe society' vision? I should clobber him with my crutch next time I see him! What a brain dead decision by the City Council wankers, once again!

I used to enjoy a night out in Douglas at that time, you're right, it changed around Millenium time, which coincided with 'Project Trident' which was too heavy handed in my opinion. Dragging scouse bully bouncers over to give kids a kicking for questioning them, closing the doors to new admissions at 1am, upping lighting levels to ruin atmosphere, destroyed the Venue, Paramount, Toffs etc and killed off Douglas nightlife in general. If the police call 'trouble' a lot of people on the promenade late at night, then I'd agree, but the actual trouble must have been very small in comparison? I was out and about most weekends, and never saw any fights, never felt threatened at all. Instead of going after the troublemakers, which I suppose must have existed if you say so, they sucked the life out of the place, for ever!

I have just seen a post on Twitter which suggested that IOMG has been recruiting several Ghanaian citizens for the CS? Poor buggers, they'll soon find out what it's like to live in a third world country!

There are some great places, and some have already shut down. The cake is only so big, and everyone wants a slice of that small cake, which diminishes the viability of all of their businesses. Those who do it well and invest, still suffer and need resources to hang on, only for a few competitors to close, and others spring up in their place!