Taxi Driver Online

Derby councillors could be stripped of power over taxi licences


Derby councillors could be stripped of powers over who gets taxi licences, following a damning report hitting out at how they have been operating.

Council officers would make the decision instead, using a points-based system that, among other things, ranks the seriousness of crimes by giving them a numerical value.

The proposal has been raised after auditors found councillors on the city's Taxi Licensing Sub Committee had been, as recently as last year, awarding taxi licences to criminals who were not "fit and proper" to hold them.

Licences were given to people who had committed offences including "hate crime, harassment, intimidation and making improper comments to young women". The proposed new points system has been drawn up in detail by the council and has forced the authority to go through the extraordinary process of ranking seriousness of crimes. If the proposals came to fruition, any applicant or existing driver who gets above 12 points would be in trouble. New applicants would not be able to get a licence and existing taxi drivers would have their licence revoked.

Several crimes would simply mean the licence being refused or revoked under any circumstances, including sex with an animal or corpse and sexual activity in a public lavatory.

Other crimes would mean instant refusal if committed recently but not if they had happened some time ago. Assault of a police officer for example, would mean instant refusal if it happened less than four years ago. But it would be worth six points if committed five years in the past.

And you could still be a taxi driver if you committed some crimes at any stage. They include being drunk and disorderly in public. If an applicant had done that within 12 months of the application, they would get three points, but it would be just one if it happened three years before and would not accrue any points over three years. Points would also be accrued through traffic offences, and non-criminal acts like carrying more passengers than licensed for.

A report drawn up by council officers ahead of Thursday's licensing committee says: "The points system takes account of all possible driving and criminal convictions and/or conduct/behavioural transgressions. It will be made available on the council website for all current and prospective licence holders to consult."

The auditors at Grant Thornton had said that the council had already been "proactive" in dealing with taxi licensing issues. Work has included getting officers to recommend to councillors what decision should be made on each licence applicant and expanding the size of the Taxi Licensing Sub Committee from three to five members in a bid to add "additional robustness to decision making". This makes it more difficult for a driver to avoid certain councillors being on their panel.

But the auditors added that it may be necessary to consider the "radical option" of having officers deciding applications instead of councillors.

A twelve-week consultation on the proposals with taxi drivers and the public is set to start this month. If the changes go-ahead, the council is aiming to bring them in on November 28, following a final decision at full council on November 23.

EXAMPLES OF THE PROPOSED NEW POINTS SYSTEM

Possessing offensive weapon – committed within one to five years, licence refused; six years, eight points; seven years, seven points; eight years, six points; nine years, five points; ten years, two points.

Battery – committed within one to three years, licence refused; four years, five points; five years, four points; six years; three points; seven years, two points; eight years, one point; more, no points.

Administering poison – committee within one to seven years; licence refused; eight years, eight points; nine years, six points; 10 years, four points.


Read more: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/derby-c ... z4DvFirKYL

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The proposal has been raised after auditors found councillors on the city's Taxi Licensing Sub Committee had been, as recently as last year, awarding taxi licences to criminals who were not "fit and proper" to hold them.


really and of course it doesn't happen elsewhere councils up and down the country don't allow people with convictions for sex offences kidnap road rage armed robbery etc. have a badge

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

If Derby are doing it wrong WTF are Gedling doing? The drivers who get refused licences in Derby Feck off to Gedling and get licensed there.