Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver jobless at Christmas due to 'flawed' licensing process

A father of two faces being out of work this Christmas due to delays in processing his taxi license renewal application.

Daniel Smith, from Cinderhill, sent his renewal paperwork away on Friday, October 28, but he is yet to receive a response and his license expired on Friday, December 9.

The 33-year-old is now unable to work as a taxi driver until his new license comes through.

He has been denied a temporary license and believes that Nottingham City Council's process for dealing with renewal applications is "flawed".

Daniel, who has been a taxi driver for three years, said that applications are issued within two weeks "90 per cent of the time".

He was shocked then when he chased up his application and discovered that the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check element, which examines someone's criminal record, is currently taking up to 18 weeks.

Daniel, who works for Central Cars in Bulwell, has asked Nottingham City Council if it can issue him with a temporary license in the meantime but he was told that he would have to wait until his application has been with the DBS for 60 days.

He said: "I don't have a criminal record or anything like that.

"Ideally what I want is a temporary badge. If something came back, contact Central Cars and they will stop me from working straight away.

"It's not the time of year I want to be out of work. I've got bills to pay. I have got two children."

Daniel, who is a specialist wheelchair transfer driver, fears him being unable to work will let disabled people requiring taxis down.

Gary Allen, a director at Central Cars, said: "They seem to be taking an increasingly long time for the council to get through. In a lot of cases an unacceptably long time.

"Some drivers are out of work for up to eight weeks after placing their paperwork with the council.

"It is a problem. It affects everyone. If the drivers don't get badged in time it affects us because we lose the revenue from the drivers."

Richard Antcliff, chief licensing officer at Nottingham City Council, explained the licensing process.

He said: "These checks include an enhanced DBS check, medical exam, a check to ensure they have the right to work in the UK, a local knowledge check and mandatory safeguarding training.

"As a licensing authority we expect the highest possible standards in this trusted profession and whilst we do not unduly delay these checks, the public will always expect us to take all reasonable measures to ensure drivers are suitable.

"Unfortunately we cannot influence the length of time the DBS take and this can sometimes be in excess of three months depending on the circumstances."

Read more at http://www.nottinghampost.com/taxi-driv ... edXm8EH.99

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

FFS why do they need them annually, or even every 3 years, once an enhansed check is made, a simple police check is all thats required, unless they leave the trade

Do Nottingham accept the annual updates on DBS checks? If not, why not? If they do accept the update service why did the driver not subscribe to this service?
I was recently informed by our council that the 18 week delay is for checks that have to be processed by the Metropolitan Police. If the driver has never had an address within the Metropolitan Police area then they would not be checking it.
One of our escorts recently needed a new DBS and it took less than 7 days from start to finish.

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Grandad,

my enhanced one came within 2 weeks

our council won't issue the paperwork till 4 weeks before renewal due in that time you have to organise a medical an eye test and get an appointment to hand the forms in that leaves at best 14 to 20 days for DBS and lincolnshire Police are notoriously slow at answering DBS enquiries so it can take 8 weeks or more.

I don't understand why councils can't either send out and process the forms 3 months ahead or for an existing driver issue a renewal pending DBS if anything comes up they can sort it out either by calling the driver to appear before the committee or rescinding the badge I don't understand why that is a problem

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

We all get that checks need to be undertaken, but this fella is being treated unfairly.

He was licensed a year ago and everything must have been fine. The police now have a duty to report to licensing authorities any convictions or cautions, and in some cases even charges.

That council should have sent out the renewal packs a lot early, and should give him a temporary license.

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IDFIMH

Do Nottingham accept the annual updates on DBS checks?.[/quote]

Obviously not, with every Tom Dick and Harry applying to Nottingham City Council for a badge there's no wonder its taking 8 weeks.

He should have applied at the magistrate's court before his licence expired, preferably the day before. This would have given him an extension - usually about a month -

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

Un organised on his jack typical unfortunately and now he pays the price

UNITED WE Stand DIVIDED WE FALL ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AND HE LEARNS THAT LESSON AT CHRISTMAS ONE PHONE TO A COMPETENT UNION OFFICIAL AND ITS SORTEDl

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

He can appeal at the Magistrates and they could rule that he be licenced in the interim until the DBS is received. He has 28 days from having his Licence refused to lodge the appeal I believe.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

We can all give opinions on how to overcome this problem to no avail but from the report it would appear the most important aspect is missing,DID the Council give the applicant in writing reason for not renewing his license?

If they refused to renew he can appeal within 21 days of refusal and still continue to work,one would assume if they have not refused to renew but are only delaying the issuing of the license until the DBS check is returned he should be allowed to work or the Council will be liable to pay compensation for loss of earnings.

Once again report is short on all facts of situation.

Our Council will no issue a renewal license if the DBS is not back on the grounds of public safety following the Rotherham case.

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Grandad,

They would have to if the Magistrates removed the discretion of the Council.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Do you honestly think that a magistrate would overturn a decision that was made because a Council was concerned about the risk to the public. I don't.

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Grandad,

I do.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!