May 5, 2022 10.00 pm This story is over 21 months old

East Lindsey taxi drivers could lose licence due to lack of safety checks

Drivers have not kept up with council’s requirements

A number of taxi drivers in East Lindsey face having their licenses suspended on Monday after falling behind with their DBS checks.

East Lindsey District Council’s Licensing Committee will examine a list of four drivers who have not kept up with their subscription to an online DBS Update Service which has been a requirement of the council since September 2020.

Officers are recommending the licences be suspended in order to fulfil the authority’s role in making sure taxi drivers and passengers are safe.

The names of the drivers subject to the report have been hidden behind exempt information.

A request for the exact number had not received a response at the time of publication.

If the vote is passed, drivers will be able to get their licence reinstated by providing the Licensing Team with a new Enhanced DBS Disclosure no more than 28 days old and to the Other Workforce (Taxi and Private Hire Driver) – Child & Adults Barred List Check criteria.

“The council has a duty to ensure that any person to whom it grants a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle driver’s licence is a fit and proper person to be a licence holder,” said the officer’s report.

“When dealing with matters of public safety the impact on the livelihood of the driver of the suspension or revocation of a driver’s licence is not normally a relevant factor. However, the suspension or revocation of a licence should not be taken lightly.

“The overriding purpose of hackney carriage and private hire licensing is public safety and where there is a risk to public safety, action should be taken as soon as possible to minimise that risk.

“The process to be considered in this case is asking whether failure to maintain a subscription to the DBS Update Service should indicate that a driver is no longer a fit and proper person – and if so, what is the appropriate action to be undertaken?”