Taxi Driver Online

Fareham taxi licences granted despite no overseas records

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/262324 ... s-records/

A private hire taxi licence has been granted to a driver despite a 12-year gap in his criminal record history due to the collapse of the Afghan government.

Fareham Borough Council’s licensing panel approved the application from “Mr H” at a meeting on June 16, ruling he is a “fit and proper person” to drive a taxi.

Councillors heard Mr H had been unable to provide a certificate of good conduct from Afghanistan, where he was born, after records were wiped following the Taliban’s return to power.

Mr H explained that he had been in education before leaving the country and had no criminal record before relocating. He later moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2022 before arriving in the UK in 2025.

As a result, the panel noted there was no available criminal history covering 12 years before his move abroad.

Members heard that Mr H has no offences recorded on his UK Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or DVLA driving licence, and no other risk factors were identified.

The panel acknowledged that taxi drivers must meet strict standards under the “fit and proper person” test set out in legislation and council policy.

However, councillors concluded there were exceptional circumstances in this case, citing the unique situation in Afghanistan, which made it impossible for Mr H to obtain official documentation.

Members determined that the absence of records was not the applicant’s fault and that there was no evidence of a risk to public safety.

The licence was granted.

A second applicant’s licence was also approved, despite gaps in overseas background checks.

An application from a “Mr G” was discussed at the same meeting on June 16, and councillors heard that he had been unable to obtain a certificate of good conduct from his home country, Sri Lanka.

He told the panel he could not safely return due to his political stance, while his elderly parents were unable to obtain the document on his behalf.

As a result, there is no criminal history available for the period before he moved to the UK in 2006.

Members concluded there were sufficient exceptional reasons to depart from standard policy and approved the licence, which will be limited to the duration of Mr G’s right to work in the UK.

But that's just since 2025? Could cover a period of little more than six months

The other one doesn't seem so bad - looks like he's been in the UK for 20 years.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I suspect many local authorities other than Fareham wouldn't have granted the badge.

Although chances are that he may be intending working outside the council area. So to that extent maybe councillors think it's less of an issue

Maybe that means he's got criminal history check covering the three years he was in UAE?

Can't really work out the dates - does that mean he was born in 2010? Presumably not, so maybe the missing 12 years just covers his adult life.

Or maybe the period covered before the Taliban came to power was in his his criminal record history

Which is why they licensed there, and will work everywhere else but Fareham.

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