FI16927
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025.
1. Licensed drivers
The total number of licensed:
Taxi (hackney carriage) drivers
Private hire drivers.
2. Applications and licensing decisions
The number of driver licence applications:
* Received
* Granted
* Refused
3. Suspensions and revocations
The number of driver licences:
* Suspended
* Revoked
Where recorded, please indicate how many were related to:
* Sexual offences
* Violent offences
4. Safeguarding and adverse information decisions
For the purposes of this request, “adverse information” includes: criminal convictions, police intelligence, safeguarding referrals and any other information considered relevant to the “fit and proper person” assessment
Please provide the number of cases where a taxi or private hire driver licence was granted, or renewed, where adverse information was known to the authority at the time of the decision.
Where possible, please also indicate:
How many of these cases involved sexual or violent offences (convicted or otherwise, where recorded)
If exact categorisation is not held, please provide any internal category used to record such decisions.
5. Background checks and safeguarding systems
Please confirm:
a) Whether your authority uses the NR3 register when assessing applicants (Yes/No)
b) Whether your authority subscribes to the DBS Update Service for ongoing monitoring (Yes/No)
c) How frequently enhanced DBS checks are required for licensed drivers:
* At application only
* At renewal
* Other (please specify)
6. Private hire operators (including app-based services)
The number of licensed private hire operators under your authority, including app-based booking platforms such as Uber, Bolt or similar services where licensed locally.
Where available, please provide:
* Number of operator licences granted
* Refused
* Suspended or revoked
* Any enforcement action taken against operators
Response
1. 351 (the Council only issues dual licences)
2. As follows:
- Received 421 (including renewal applications)
- Granted 391
- Refused 11
3. As follows:
As follows:
- Sexual offences 5
- Violent offences 3
4. I can confirm that the Council holds information falling within the description specified in your request, however it is not readily available and from our preliminary assessment, we have estimated that the cost of complying with your request would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ as it would require a manual check of every DBS check that the Council holds. The appropriate limit has been specified in regulations and for Local Government it is set at £450. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 2½ working days in determining whether the information is held, locating, retrieving and extracting the data. I regret therefore, that on this occasion I must refuse this part of your request in accordance with Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act.
These cases would be considered by Regulatory Committee and the decisions documented.
5. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Every six months.
6. As follows:
- Number of operator licences granted: 31
- Refused: 0
- Suspended or revoked: 1
- Any enforcement action taken against operators: 0