REDCAR

A draft policy that will see taxi drivers signed up to a national register has been approved by councillors.

On Thursday, Redcar and Cleveland Council's Regulatory Committee approved a draft policy that will see the council sign up to a new National Register for Taxi Licence Refusals and Revocations.

At present, councils rely on hackney carriage and private hire drivers being honest about any previous revoked licences or application refusals.

A committee report said this had led to cases in which previously banned drivers had been granted new licences despite previous bans.

The National Register will allow councils to find out if a driver has ever been banned or refused a licence in another part of the country.

Cllr Brenda Forster, Labour councillor for Kirkleatham, said the lack of information about drivers' histories had proved to be a problem for councillors trying to reach a decision about an application.

She said: "I welcome this report about the registration of drivers.

"We want to get more information because sometimes they come in front of the taxi panel and they've been refused a licence in Middlesbrough and they've come to us for a licence.

"We're left trying to find out why they weren't given a licence in Middlesbrough.

"I think this will be a big help to us and I really welcome that"


Cllr Michael Dick, Labour councillor for Brotton, agreed.

He said: "The first thing I want to do is express a comment that I'm so surprised it's taken us until 2018 to consider sharing information with other authorities about taxi drivers.

"That's no particular criticism of the officers as much as to welcome how overdue this is. So I'm very grateful."

The committee unanimously approved the draft policy.

The committee report said: "Currently, local authorities rely on the applicant disclosing information about previous revocations or refusals. There is no way for the local authority to find out this information.

"This means that vital information about an applicant’s past behaviour is being missed and there are instances when this has happened.

"Adopting the national register will promote public safety by ensuring that authorities have as much relevant information as possible to assist in the determination of the applicant’s fit and proper status."

Once adopted, as of January 1 next year, new and renewal applications for driver licences will be checked against the register.

Where an existing licence is revoked or an application is refused, this will be recorded on the register along with historic data from the last six years.

The report said: "The Local Government Association has commissioned the development of a new National Register of Taxi Licence Refusals and Revocations.

"The purpose of the register is to provide a mechanism for licensing authorities to share information about individuals who have had a hackney carriage or a private hire licence revoked or an application for one refused.

"This will prevent such drivers from going to another authority to dishonestly secure a licence by failing to disclose their previous licensing history."

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