AN exercise for garage and MOT testing stations to tender to carry out tests on Craven taxis has been met with silence.

All licensed vehicles in the district are required to be tested by an authorised testing station annually. The test involved an MOT test and enhanced licensed vehicle check (ELVC). Vehicles over three years of age must have an ELVC every six months.

Members of Craven District Council's licensing committee met on January 25 and heard there was currently one testing station authorised to carry out the required testing and had been appointed in February 2020. The contract was for one year. A further year extension was granted in 2021and is due to expire at the end of February this year. Again, there is an option for the contract to be extended for another year.

Following requests from committee members and the trade, the licensing manager has run a new tender exercise, but had no response from other potential test stations - some 49 in Craven - which have the facilities to do the tests and checks.

Committee members were told the responses to the tender were due back by January 31 - the date of which has passed since the meeting. Licensing manager Tim Chadwick said there had been no tenders received from any of the testing stations.

Cllr Paul Whittaker asked: "Are we not offering them enough money?" to which committee chairman Cllr Simon Myers answered: "The fees side is something we could look at."

However, Mr Chadwick explained it was a tendering process and testing stations would look at the costs involved and determine what they could do the work for and put their tender forward for consideration.

Cllr Andy Solloway asked if the council could extend its invitation to outside the district. "Do we have to test (the taxis) in Craven?" he asked.

Members were told there was nothing in the rule books to stop garages and MOT testing stations from outside Craven with the capabilities of carrying out the enhanced checks needed from being included in the tendering process, but that only the 49 within Craven had been approached on this occasion for consideration for the work if they wished and the capacity and skills for the work.

Councillor Peter Madeley said he found it incredible that of all those asked, no one had said to the council that they wanted this work.

Members agreed to note the report.