The first increase to fees and charges for West Suffolk’s taxi drivers in seven years will come into effect next April.

The district council’s cabinet agreed to a set of higher costs at a meeting on Tuesday.

The annual cost of a hackney carriage licence will increase from £163 to £209, while the licence cost for private hire vehicles will increase from £154 to £188.

Combined driver’s fees for three years will increase from £206 to £308.

Operator fees will stay the same – at £200 for up to and including three years and £301 over three years or for three vehicles.

The council puts the increases down to its costs being higher, as a result of changes to national government guidance.

This includes Department for Transport expectations for taxi drivers to have DBS checks every six months rather than the previous three-year checks, and HM Revenue and Customs tax conditionality checks introduced in April.

Andy Drummond, the council’s cabinet member for licensing and regulatory, said: “Let’s be clear, this is not about generating additional income for the council.

“We are not allowed to do so by law, but we are looking to run a cost-neutral service.

“By increasing these fees and charges, we are effectively asking the trade to cover the increased costs associated with granting licences.

“These increased costs include the checks that we have to do on their behalf to protect passenger safety and maintain public confidence in the taxi trade.

“Our priority is to ensure applications are processed in time and the appropriate checks are carried out.

“If there is any surplus income over a three-year period, it will be used to support the trade.”

A consultation with taxi drivers and operators between late June and the beginning of August on whether the changes are appropriate and legal returned four objections.

Two objectors said passenger fares should increase first, which they did in late August. The proposals to increase fees and charges was included as part of the rationale to increase passenger fares.

The main comments made by the remaining two objectors were that the fees were high and that the council should reduce the level of administration instead.