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Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' closure
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Author:  StuartW [ Sun Jun 29, 2025 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' closure
Didn't bother with this earlier in the week, because there was a shorter version of this from Hull, and obviously quite a few similar articles recently.

But this one's maybe a tad different - it's quite a good explainer, it specifically mentions the Casey audit etc, and the predictable boilerplate response from Wolves contains one slightly different addition that I haven't seen before :-o

So just putting this here for the record. And there's also something else I haven't seen before, which is on the Wolves Council website - see below...


Council calls for taxi loop-hole 'travesty' to be closed

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hu ... p-10289180

Private hire drivers currently have the 'right to roam'

Hull city councillors have unanimously called for new Government legislation to bring an end to ‘out-of-town’ taxi licensing.

At June's full council meeting, the leader of the council's Labour Group, Cllr Daren Hale, brought forward an emergency motion calling for Government action to close a taxi licensing 'loop hole' which Cllr Hale described as "an absolute travesty." The motion follows the release of The Casey Review (the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), which made a number of recommendations including the tightening of taxi licensing rules.

Taxi licenses are given out by local authorities. Hackney Carriages (black cabs), which can be hailed on the street, do have to operate within the boundaries of the authority they are licensed by. This means, for example, a black cab licensed to Hull City Council can only pick up passengers in Hull. Whilst they are free to drive out of the city to drop passengers off, in the East Riding for example, they would have to return to Hull before picking up their next passenger.

On the other hand, private hire vehicles (PHVs) are not confined to just operating within the borders of the authority. PHV drivers have the 'right to roam', meaning they can start and end a journey in any part of the country.

The process of getting a PHV licence differs from council to council. The application fees as well as the level of vehicle standards are set by each individual council meaning it is in theory 'easier' to get a licence from some councils than others. This has led to situation in which some councils are giving out licences to drivers who are operating hundred of miles away in a completely different part of the country.

Cllr Hale's motion specifically refers to City of Wolverhampton Council which has made numerous headlines for their licensed drivers popping up across the country in a seemingly disproportionate scale. The Labour councillor's motion states: "Council believes it is a loop-hole and a travesty that Wolverhampton Council can license taxis in Hull and many other cities, and believes this function must form a mandatory requirement of the immediate locality or Combined Authority Area."

The prevalence of Wolverhampton licensed vehicles has also been noticed in other parts of the country. For example, the Manchester Evening News previously reported that around 35 per cent of the PHV drivers in within Greater Manchester are licensed in Wolverhampton.

Cllr Hale added that the prevalence of out of town taxis is a "real concern for all of us."

The Liberal Democrats' Cllr Ted Dolman, the chair of the council's Licensing Committee seconded Cllr Hale's motion. He said: "As the chair of licensing, and therefore a member that heavily engages with taxi drivers, without a doubt the largest issue our fantastic drivers raise is that of Wolverhampton taxis and the safeguarding concerns that come with them. This isn't just a technicality, this is a real world risk that our residents are faced with."

Cllr Dolman added that the current system means Hull City Council "is left with a lack of control over who operates on our streets and who transports our residents."

City of Wolverhampton Council has responded to the concerns raised by councillors in Hull. A spokesperson said: “Safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing. City of Wolverhampton Council is investing in innovative technology to lead the way nationally.

    • We are the only local authority which checks drivers on the Update Service DBS status every day.

    •We are the first authority to offer driver licence checks by smartphone - passengers can verify their driver’s licence status and identity before they enter the vehicle.

    • We were the first to implement the government’s statutory standards and best practice guidance

"We welcome any measures from Government to help tackle the important matter of safeguarding.

“We work in partnership with Hull City Council and have carried out 23 operations over the last three years, checking 206 vehicles. We have been accompanied by local licensing officers on 19 of these operations.

“It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. Under the current law, applicants are able to apply to any licensing authority for a licence.

“It is also illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences they issue.

“The council does not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ringfenced for spend only on related activities.

“Our early adoption of digital technology has allowed us to offer a simple and efficient online application procedure, with the requirement that drivers attend in person for training and strict assessment before an application can be processed.

“We take enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public. The council has three teams of compliance officers, one based in Wolverhampton, another in the East Midlands and another in the North of England. Our safeguarding statement and requirements for drivers can be found here.”
Author:  StuartW [ Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' clos
Wolverhampton City Council wrote:
“We work in partnership with Hull City Council and have carried out 23 operations over the last three years, checking 206 vehicles. We have been accompanied by local licensing officers on 19 of these operations."

It's not like me to be cynical about stuff like this, but I'd guess the reason they included the above is that they have been doing a relatively high proportion of operations in Hull.

If it was somewhere they rarely or never visit then it would be :-#
Author:  StuartW [ Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' clos
The Wolverhampton link referred to at the bottom of the statement above is this stuff below :-o

Not sure if I've seen this before, but obviously it's quite a lengthy statement. And a lot of it is simply stating the obvious, and making Wolves sound like it's doing a lot of things that's really just bog standard licensing stuff undertaken by the vast majority of licensing authorities.

Not sure if it's new, or maybe just a PR/charm offensive/damage limitation exercise issued in response to the Baroness Casey stuff. The source is marked 'last updated' on 18 June, thus a couple of days after the Casey audit was published.

But it's certainly the first time I've seen a press report referring to this statement, and also including a link :-o

(There are a number of links in the original source page that aren't included below, therefore please visit the link to the original page if necessary...)


City of Wolverhampton Council Taxi Licensing Safeguarding Statement

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/licenc ... -statement

City of Wolverhampton Council takes taxi licensing seriously. Public safety is paramount and we are constantly working to improve our processes to protect people.

Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met.

The first is an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which includes a check on the children and vulnerable adults barred list. It is a criminal offence for people on barred lists to apply to work in a regulated activity and offenders are reported to the police. Original certificates are required to be provided to the council and anyone on the barred list will not be granted a licence.

Where licence applicants (including vehicle proprietors and operators) have been outside of the UK for three or more months continuously since the age of 18, they are required to provide a Certificate of Good Character/Conduct for each of the countries they visited during that period.

Where there is information on the applicant’s DBS certificate or Certificate of Good Character/Conduct, this is considered in accordance with the Council’s Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety . These guidelines have been consulted on with the industry, police, courts and all other councils. The guidelines have been benchmarked against the Institute of Licensing’s Guidance and the Government’s Statutory Standards.

The Council’s Guidelines are regularly reviewed and were last approved on 10 July 2024, following a review as a result of the Government’s Best Practice Guidance published on 17 November 2023. They are currently under review as a result of updated ‘Suitability Guidance’ from the Institute of Licensing.

Drivers must have held a driving licence for at least one year and this licence is checked as part of the application process. Where there are motoring convictions, these are also considered against the Council’s guidelines.

Drivers must undergo medical certification to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2 Standards. This may only be completed by a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner, who must have access to the applicant’s full medical records.

Drivers must attend a one-day driver training programme, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council since 2008. This training is only available in English and covers the following:

    • Assistance Dogs
    • Counter terrorism
    • County lines
    • Child sex exploitation awareness
    • Customer care
    • Customer safety
    • Dealing with difficult situations
    • Disability Awareness (Equality Act 2010)
    • Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS check)
    • Driver responsibilities
    • Enforcement and compliance
    • Environmental Protection Act 1990
    • Face to face English assessment (followed by a recorded interview where there are any concerns)
    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
    • Licence conditions
    • Lost badges
    • Modern Slavery
    • Personal safety
    • Plying for hire
    • Road and passenger safety
    • Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
    • Suicide awareness
    • The Health Act 2006
    • The licensing process
    • Vehicle conditions

This syllabus is regularly reviewed, including with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Partnership Strategic Exploitation Co-ordinator. At the end of the training programme, there is a written assessment. Typically, half of applicants do not pass the assessment.

Where there are concerns about applicants suspected of involvement in historic child sex exploitation investigations, further vetting is undertaken by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Applicants are also required to disclose any previous licensing history. Enquiries are made with those authorities and any previous complaints considered with the Council’s Guidelines. Licensees are also required to notify Licensing Services of any new licences with any other licensing authority, as well as if they are reviewed, suspended or revoked.

The applicant is also checked against the National Anti-Fraud Network’s (NAFN) National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). The Council uploaded all its historic computer data (from 2012) to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. Where a matching record is found, information is requested from the licensing authority and a licence will not be granted until this information is considered.

Finally, the driver must attend our offices in person, where they undergo facial verification against their driving licence and proof of right to work in the UK, as well as presenting their original DBS certificate. We use a state-of-the-art system which uses the same technology as can be found at Border Control’s ePassport Gates in UK airports. These documents undergo two-step verification by different officers.

If the applicant is renewing their licence or has held the same licence within the last 12 months, they must provide an HMRC Tax Check code to show that they registered to pay tax.

It is only after these checks have been satisfied that an applicant can become a licensed driver.

Once a driver licence is granted, we continue to monitor them. We use the DBS Update Service to check drivers’ DBS certificates every day of the week. Where new information is found, an enquiry is also made to the DBS to determine whether the information is that the driver has been added to a barred list and is prohibited from working with children and/or vulnerable adults, then their licence is reviewed.

If their licence is suspended or revoked, this decision is recorded on NR3S, in case the driver tries to apply for a licence at another authority. The Council also considers whether the complaints against the driver necessitate consideration by the Disclosure and Barring Service for the former driver to be added to the children and/or vulnerable adults barred lists.

The driver can only undertake work in a vehicle licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council. Annual DBS checks are also carried out on vehicle licence applicants, as well as a check that the vehicle is insured for public and/or private hire. A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. The vehicle is then checked in person by our trained vehicle inspectors. Operator door signage is prohibited by Wolverhampton, to prevent it being used as a de facto identifier of a licensed vehicle, as operator signage is easy to fraudulently produce, buy and steal. This is to reduce the risk of the public unknowingly using unlicensed vehicles.

Licence conditions issued as of 1 August 2024 require drivers to undertake a daily walkaround check of their vehicle before commencing work. The checks required can be seen here: https://taxiwalkaround.wolverhampton.gov.uk/

Driver licences issued and renewed after February 2025 will be a contactless driver identification badge, which can be tapped by customers, operators and authorised officers with a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled smartphone, to verify the drivers identity against their digital driving licence.

We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. Whilst people apply to Wolverhampton from all over the country, we conduct compliance operations all over the country. In 2024, we covered:

Altrincham, Alum Rock, Banbury, Barnsley, Bilston, Birmingham, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham NEC, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bloodstock Festival, Bolton, Bristol, Bristol Airport, Buckinghamshire F1 GRANDPRIX, Burnley, Burton, Bury, Cambridge, Cannock, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Cheshire, Chester, Codsall, Colchester, Coventry, Creamfields, Crewe, Derby, Derby Summer Festival, Devon, Dewsbury, Doncaster, Donnington Park, Download Festival, Dudley, East Midlands Airport, Edgbaston, Ely, Essington, Exeter, Featherstone, Fylde, Great Bridge, Greater Manchester, Halesowen, Halton, Handsworth, Harlow, Harrogate, Harrow, Havant, Hertfordshire, Hull, Ilkeston, Isle of Sheppey, Knowsley, Lancaster, Leamington, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Leicester Freshers’ Night, Leicestershire, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Lytham St Anne’s, Manchester, Manchester Airport, Mansfield, Margate, Merseyside, Middlesbrough, Middleton, Milton Keynes, Morton, Nantwich, Nelson, Newcastle, Newport, Northwich, Nottingham, Nottingham Goose fair, Oldbury, Oldham, Penkridge, Perton, Portsmouth, Poulton-le-Fylde, Preston, Ramsgate, Rhonda, Rotherham, Rugby, Salford, Sefton, Sheffield, Shropshire, Skegness, Smethwick, South Staffordshire, Southampton, Southport, St. Helens, Staffordshire, Stockport, Stockton-On-Tees, Stoke on Trent, Stourbridge, Stratford, Stratford Upon Avon, Telford, Tipton, Trafford, Trentham Live, Trysull, Uttoxter, Uxbridge, Walsall, Warrington, Warstones, Warwick, Warwickshire, Watford, Wednesbury, Wellington, West Bromwich, Westhoughton, Weston-super-Mare, Widnes, Wigan, Wightwick, Wolverhampton, Wombourne, Worcester, Wyre, Wythenshaw and York.

Officers from the respective licensing authority are invited to these operations and we often work in partnership with the local police force and representatives from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). All Compliance Officers are City and Guilds qualified basic vehicle examiners. The Council has never refused a request from a licensing authority for a compliance operation in their area.

The service has the only dedicated ‘Taxi Safeguarding Officer’. All complaints are investigated and the complainant informed of the outcome.

Importantly, our driver conditions dictate that drivers must cooperate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas. Any breach of this condition would be looked on most unfavourably:

    3.9 A private hire licence is a badge of approval, it states the Local Authority feels the holder is fit and proper and suitable in every way. The standard of behaviour and level of trust expected should be demonstrated in the conduct of those licensed at all times. This includes when drivers are operating beyond the boundary of the licensing authority, where drivers are expected to co-operate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas.

This condition empowers officers in other areas and where drivers are breaking the law then other licensing authorities can and do prosecute them. The Council has also joint-authorised enforcement officers in:

    • Halton Borough Council.
    • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
    • Milton Keynes City Council.
    • Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.
    • South Derbyshire District Council.

Checks for those applying to be a Private Hire Vehicle Operator include:

    • Information Commissioner’s Office Registration number, to prevent illegal use of personal data.
    • The business premises is in Wolverhampton, which must be accessible 24/7 by our officers.
    • Proof of right to work in the UK.
    • Checks with other licensing authorities the operator has or is licensed by, including the Traffic Commissioner regarding any Public Service Vehicle licences.
    • An annual Basic DBS check.
    • Attendance at the Private Hire Driver Training Programme.
    • Awareness of tax responsibilities and on renewal their tax registration.

It should be noted that there is no provision in legislation to refuse to consider an application from an individual who lives outside of Wolverhampton. As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is ‘fit and proper’, a licence is granted.

The service has been audited annually since 2023 and has never failed an audit.

If you have a complaint about a driver, vehicle proprietor or operator, you can provide information at Taxi Complaints or call our dedicated complaints line 01902 55 TAXI.

Where complaints relating safeguarding to are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for concerns to be investigated within one day and a decision made on whether to seek the voluntary surrender of the licence, pending a full investigation. The Council is 100% compliant with this KPI. Where licensees refuse to surrender their licence, an urgent licence review hearing will be held in consideration of Section 5.1.22 of its Guidelines on Fitness and Propriety:

    “Where information is received in relation to an existing licence holder or a new applicant from the Police or other enforcement bodies that an individual(s) are under investigation or have been under investigation for a matter that relates to any of the offences outlined in sections 5, the Local Authority may consider the information provided and take action in relation to the information provided. This may mean a licence is suspended, revoked, a renewal of a licence or a new licence is refused. The power to suspend or revoke immediately as set out in section 2.2.2 may also be used in these circumstances if it is in the interests of public safety.”
Author:  StuartW [ Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' clos
Wolverhampton City Council wrote:
We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. Whilst people apply to Wolverhampton from all over the country, we conduct compliance operations all over the country. In 2024, we covered:

Altrincham, Alum Rock, Banbury, Barnsley, Bilston, Birmingham, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham NEC, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bloodstock Festival, Bolton, Bristol, Bristol Airport, Buckinghamshire F1 GRANDPRIX, Burnley, Burton, Bury, Cambridge, Cannock, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Cheshire, Chester, Codsall, Colchester, Coventry, Creamfields, Crewe, Derby, Derby Summer Festival, Devon, Dewsbury, Doncaster, Donnington Park, Download Festival, Dudley, East Midlands Airport, Edgbaston, Ely, Essington, Exeter, Featherstone, Fylde, Great Bridge, Greater Manchester, Halesowen, Halton, Handsworth, Harlow, Harrogate, Harrow, Havant, Hertfordshire, Hull, Ilkeston, Isle of Sheppey, Knowsley, Lancaster, Leamington, Leamington Spa, Leeds, Leicester Freshers’ Night, Leicestershire, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Lytham St Anne’s, Manchester, Manchester Airport, Mansfield, Margate, Merseyside, Middlesbrough, Middleton, Milton Keynes, Morton, Nantwich, Nelson, Newcastle, Newport, Northwich, Nottingham, Nottingham Goose fair, Oldbury, Oldham, Penkridge, Perton, Portsmouth, Poulton-le-Fylde, Preston, Ramsgate, Rhonda, Rotherham, Rugby, Salford, Sefton, Sheffield, Shropshire, Skegness, Smethwick, South Staffordshire, Southampton, Southport, St. Helens, Staffordshire, Stockport, Stockton-On-Tees, Stoke on Trent, Stourbridge, Stratford, Stratford Upon Avon, Telford, Tipton, Trafford, Trentham Live, Trysull, Uttoxter, Uxbridge, Walsall, Warrington, Warstones, Warwick, Warwickshire, Watford, Wednesbury, Wellington, West Bromwich, Westhoughton, Weston-super-Mare, Widnes, Wigan, Wightwick, Wolverhampton, Wombourne, Worcester, Wyre, Wythenshaw and York.

Looks impressive, but pretty much meaningless in the grand scheme of things regarding enforcement etc.

And a fair bit of padding out as well, as the events I've highlighted maybe suggest [-(

I'm surprised they didn't include that op outside the Dog & Duck in Ramsgate, or those stopchecks close to Stourbridge rail station, blah, blah :-o
Author:  StuartW [ Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hull Council calls for x-border loophole 'travesty' clos
Not much new here, apart from a brief statement from a Hull MP, which is highlighted below.

But the same Wolves boilerplate in response, which I suppose they have to include in the interests of balance, blah, blah...

And the MP's stuff is pretty boilerplate as well, although he does, for a change, seem to emphasise the need for local knowledge :-o


MP joins council's calls to tackle 'out of town' taxi licensing loop-hole

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hu ... e-10317860

The MP says the system needs to be "consistent, safe, and locally enforceable"

A Hull MP has echoed Hull City Council's calls to tackle a taxi licensing 'loop-hole' that allows drivers from across the country to operate in Hull.

At last month's full council meeting, councillors unanimously backed a motion calling upon the Government to alter the licensing system. The leader of the Labour Group on Hull City Council, Cllr Daren Hale, brought the motion to the council after The Casey Review (the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) made a number of recommendations including the tightening of taxi licensing rules.

The concerns pertain to the licensing of private hire vehicles (PHVs) which, despite being licensed by a specific local authority, can operate throughout the country. The process of getting a PHV licence differs from council to council. The application fees as well as the level of vehicle standards are set by each individual council meaning it is in theory 'easier' to get a licence from some councils than others. This has led to situation in which Hull City Council "is left with a lack of control over who operates on our streets and who transports our residents," according to the chair of the council's licensing committee, Cllr Ted Dolman.

The Labour MP for Hull East, Karl Turner has echoed the council's calls by writing to the Transport Secretary calling for urgent action to address concerns with the current licensing rules. Mr Turner is calling for a review of national taxi licensing laws and is requesting a meeting with the Secretary of State to discuss potential reforms.

Commenting on the situation, Mr Turner said: "The current system is not just unfair to local taxi drivers — it means we have taxis in Hull which won’t have the local knowledge that many passengers would expect. The Government must close this loop-hole and create a system that is consistent, safe, and locally enforceable."

Both Cllr Hale and Mr Turner have specifically referred to City of Wolverhampton Council in their concerns. Mr Turner's letter cites figures showing that 96% of drivers licensed by Wolverhampton Council are operating outside of the area, with Wolverhampton alone issuing 10% of all taxi licences across the UK last year.

City of Wolverhampton Council has responded to the concerns raised by councillors in Hull. A spokesperson said: “Safeguarding is our number one priority in taxi licensing. City of Wolverhampton Council is investing in innovative technology to lead the way nationally.

    • We are the only local authority which checks drivers on the Update Service DBS status every day.

    • We are the first authority to offer driver licence checks by smartphone - passengers can verify their driver’s licence status and identity before they enter the vehicle.

    • We were the first to implement the government’s statutory standards and best practice guidance

"We welcome any measures from Government to help tackle the important matter of safeguarding.

“We work in partnership with Hull City Council and have carried out 23 operations over the last three years, checking 206 vehicles. We have been accompanied by local licensing officers on 19 of these operations.

“It is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. Under the current law, applicants are able to apply to any licensing authority for a licence.

“It is also illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences they issue.

“The council does not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ringfenced for spend only on related activities.

“Our early adoption of digital technology has allowed us to offer a simple and efficient online application procedure, with the requirement that drivers attend in person for training and strict assessment before an application can be processed.

“We take enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public. The council has three teams of compliance officers, one based in Wolverhampton, another in the East Midlands and another in the North of England. Our safeguarding statement and requirements for drivers can be found here.”
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