East Lothian cab drivers and window cleaners face major rise in licence costs

Window cleaners and taxi drivers face huge increases in the cost of operating licences under new fees proposed in East Lothian.

A review of fees charged by East Lothian Council has recommended the cost of a window cleaners' licence more than double from £89 a year to £207 with private hire driver licences set to increase from £149 to £259.

Taxi cab drivers face a rise from £149 to £207.

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And it recommends knife and metal dealers pay less for their licence to sell while the cost for venison dealers is to double.

The review compared fees in other local authority areas to the council's current prices and offers a revised list of licence costs, which will go before the licensing sub-committee later this week for approval.

However council officers have given licensing chiefs an option of offering some licensed operators including taxi drivers and window cleaners a three year licence, which would cost £310.

Venison dealers will see their three year licence cost rise from £129 to £269 and tattoo artists and piercing services will also see an increase in three year licence fees from £263 to £404.

A three year licence to sell knives however is recommended to be reduced from its current fee of £382 to £310.

Animal breeders and people selling pets will also see the cost of licences increase from varying fees of £194 to £205 to facing a new cost of £403.

The £403 fee will also apply to rehoming and animal welfare organisations unless they are a registered charity.

A licence to operate a zoo in East Lothian will go up from £595 to £1,067 while riding establishments will see an increase in three year licences from £138 to £400.

The fees will be put before the committee on Thursday.

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