CONVICTED criminals bidding for taxi licences will have details of their convictions attached to their applications.

Members of Barrow Borough Council’s licensing committee accepted proposals which will see details of any existing convictions supplied to the licensing committee in writing.

The proposals were introduced as a set of measures which aim to see each case considered on merit to ensure drivers are “fit and proper persons”.

Councillors followed recommendations which will see any applicants with a drug, dishonesty or serious motoring conviction within the past three to five years turned down.

Applicants with convictions for murder, robbery or possessing an offensive weapon will also be turned down.

Councillor Jack Richardson said: “The fact is if you put the details in writing, the applicant can see them and can’t later say they didn’t understand what was being said.

“It is in black and white.”

Councillor Wendy McClure said: “When the committee comes to a decision, are the company that they had worked for made aware?”

Phil Newton, environmental health manager at Barrow Borough Council, said: “No – any person granted a licence is deemed as a fit and proper person.”

But I'm not really sure I understand the purpose of the latter question, or the answer.