Decision details

The council is under a statutory duty to ensure that only persons deemed fit and proper are licensed as hackney carriage or private hire drivers.  The council’s licensing policy sets out the ‘fit and proper’ assessment criteria for applicants which includes, amongst others, a requirement for applicants to undertake a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (“DVSA”) taxi driving assessment and to submit to the council an accredited pass certificate.

In August the DVSA wrote to the council to advise that the DVSA will cease to undertake taxi driver assessments effective from 31 December 2016.  As a consequence, it is necessary for the council to investigate alternative provision for taxi driver driving assessments.

1. Approve the licensing policy amendments as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the covering report; and
2. Delegate authority to the Licensing Team Leader, in consultation with the Head of Public Protection;
   1. to approve alternative assessment provider(s); and
   2. take the necessary steps to implement any new provision arrangements.

To ensure the council is able to comply with its statutory obligations with regards to its duty to only licence fit and proper persons.

There are no other viable alternatives.

Results of the consultation are outlined in the report.

Relevant Cabinet Member, One Legal, HR and Finance and the Licensing trade.