Agenda item

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) reminded the Committee as to the reasons why this report was being presented to the Committee.

At the Licensing Committee meeting held on 10^th November 2025 Members had asked for reassurance that officers were carrying out all of the necessary checks required for taxi licensing in a timely manner since the introduction of the new Government’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards guidance in 2022, with particular emphasis on the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) processing and checking through the renewals process.

This report was to inform Committee Members and to provide reassurance that the process for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver licences had evolved since the implementation of the requirements set out in the Government’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards guidance in 2022.

The Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, set out the criteria that any applicant must meet in order to obtain a driver licence. The policy relating to driver licences was in accordance with the Government’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards guidance 2022.

As part of a recent internal monitoring the licensing team had acknowledged that the requirements set out in the Government’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards guidance 2022, had clearly strengthened safeguarding checks and internal procedures. As a result, there had been a domino effect of extra officer checks being undertaken by the licensing team.

There were three key items when carrying out such checks, as referred to in the report:-

·       DBS certificate

·       Worcestershire Taxi and Private Hire Competency Certificate

·       National Register of Revocations and Refusals (NR3 register)

With regards to drivers having to sign up to the DBS Update Service, any driver refusing to sign up to the DBS Update Service would be brought before a  Licensing Sub-Committee. A new licence would not be issued without a licencing officer seeing a current DBS certificate. Officers wanted to further reassure Committee Members that they did carry out a lot of checks and chasing of drivers and new applicants.

In response to questions on who the onus was with regarding DBS information, the Licensing and Support Services Manager, WRS stated that the onus was on the driver to notify licensing officers of any changes to their DBS certificate. Officers carried out six monthly checks on the DBS Update Service, but as highlighted in the Councils’ Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy – Change of Circumstances B.11, the onus was on the driver, as detailed in the policy:-

’A licence holder must notify the licensing authority as soon as reasonably practicable and within no more than 48 hours in any of the following circumstances:

• if they been arrested or charged by the police in relation to any offence (including motoring offences)

• if they receive a conviction, caution or fixed penalty in relation to any offence (including motoring offences)’

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, WRS responded to further questions with regard to the policy, section 3.5.6 vehicles licensed by other local authorities, in that the Council would not issue a licence in respect of a vehicle that was already licensed by another local authority to be used as either a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle. Members queried as to how would licensing officers know if an applicant was or had been licensed by another local authority?

Members were informed that the application form included a question on being licenced by another authority:-

‘Do you hold a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle driver licence with another licensing authority?’

Plus, on the National Register of Revocations and Refusals (NR3 register), applicants and licence holders were required to disclose if they held or had previously held a licence with another authority. The applicant was also required to disclose if they had had an application for a licence refused, or a licence revoked or suspended by any other Licensing Authority.

Members further questioned as to how it was determined that an applicant / driver was not a ‘fit and proper’ test to hold such a licence.

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) stated that their DBS Certificate or the DBS Update Service would alert officers, as would the NR3 register. Also, licensing officers carried out 6 monthly status checks on all licensed drivers.

If these check revealed that there was new information held against the licence holder, the information would be considered in line with the ‘fit and proper’ test,  and the licence would be reviewed by a licensing officer. In most instances any new information on their record was likely to be referred to the Licensing Sub-Committee for consideration.

If when conducting the 6 monthly checks the licensing team found that a driver had fallen off the DBS Update Service, the licensing team would contact the licence holder to ensure that the matter was rectified. Where the licence holder had fallen off the Update Service, a new DBS certificate must be applied for.

If the licensing team find that a driver has fallen off the DBS Update Service and they were, either unable to make contact with the licence holder or the licence holder refused or delayed to re-subscribe to the DBS Update Service; the matter would be brought before the Licensing Sub-Committee for consideration.

Members were further reassured that in the interest of public safety; licensing officers could suspend or revoke a licence with immediate effect, should the circumstances be serious enough to do so. Officers would ensure that the driver’s licence, badge and licence plate were seized.

With regards to the requirement that licensed drivers had first aid kits in their vehicles, Members were further reassured that the Worcestershire Taxi and Private Hire Competency Certificate covered first aid training.

Further debate followed on the number of licensed Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles in the district, with the number decreasing over the years. Members asked officers if they had any concerns and if the current taxi service was sufficient to meet the needs of the District?

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) stated that officers had current information to hand on the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Fleet. The Chairman asked officers to provide Licensing Committee Members with this information (via email) after the meeting.

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) stated that policies within other Districts were very similar with having to meet the Government’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards. Other areas had also seen numbers reduce, with drivers not wanting to work evenings and with the competition from Uber. However, officers did not have any concerns, as no complaints had been received by WRS with regards to members of the public being unable to get a taxi in the District.

Members asked who investigated complaints against licensed drivers and who took any necessary action?

The Licensing and Support Services Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) explained that WRS had a complaints policy and depending on the nature of the complaint / the actual complaint or an accumulation of complaints, these would be dealt with by licensing officers or referred to a meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee if needed.

Members commented that the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy had a number of areas where information was duplicated. Was it possible for officer to amalgamate these areas in order to make the policy more reader friendly?

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted, and that

a)    the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy – sections that contain duplicate information be amalgamated in order to make the policy easier to read, and

b)     the amalgamated areas to be highlighted, and a verbal update on the  amalgamated areas and a copy of the amalgamated policy to be provided to Licensing Committee  Members (for noting) at the next meeting of the Committee on 20^th July 2026.