http://www.wigantoday.net/news/transport/staff-shortage-leads-to-taxi-licence-freeze-1-8788717

Wigan Council has been forced to impose a temporary freeze on processing new taxi licence applications because of a sudden shortage of staff.

you couldn't make it up


Town hall chiefs say the stoppage, which is set to last several weeks, were due to “unforeseen extraordinary circumstances.”


They do not expect it to affect too many people because the authority only, on average, receives a handful of new applications each month.

The temporary suspension will not affect existing taxi drivers whose licence renewal applications will continue to be processed throughout the period.

And while applications are currently suspended for new hackney carriages and private hire driver licences, the council is planning to start to accept them again after October 30.

Mark Tilley, the council’s assistant director for infrastructure and regulatory services, said: “Due to operational staffing issues we have temporarily suspended applications for licences for new drivers.

“This temporary suspension has not had a negative impact on local residents.

“We have continued to accept applications from existing drivers, and are not aware of any issues with local operators.

Surely the person who is dealing with renewals could deal with new applications also.

Think someone should be asking pertinent questions by an FOI. request about finances and staffing levels.All Councils normally think they can cream off our license fees and a huge number within the TAXI/private hire trade are ignorant to the fact our fees are ring fenced and can only be used for the particular section of the trade who pays them.