Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Operators, Drivers and Vehicles are principally governed by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, Town Police Clauses Act 1847, Council Byelaws and the Rules, Regulations and Conditions set by the Licensing and General Purposes Committee.

We will investigate any offence or breach the rules, regulations, or conditions of licence. As part of our investigation you may be asked to attend the offices for an interview.

The outcome of investigations may result in:

  • No further action being taken
  • Penalty points being awarded
  • A formal warning
  • Referral to the Licensing Sub-Committee and/or prosecution

The aim of a Penalty Point Scheme is to work in conjunction with other enforcement options. The purpose of the scheme is to record offences and to act as a record of your behaviour and conduct so we can find whether you are a fit and proper person.

The primary objective of the Penalty Points Scheme are:

  • Improve levels of compliance
  • Improve the standards,
  • Ensure the safety and protection of the travelling public.

Penalty points remain on record for twelve months from the date of issue. The period is on a roll forward basis, so as to allow any older points to be considered as spent and therefore excluded from the running total recorded against any individual licensee.

Issue of penalty points

Complaints from the public concerning significant breaches of conduct will be subject to investigation by Officers and may be reported to the Licensing Sub-Committee for the issue of discretionary points. Where the scheme allows the imposition of 1 to 12 points this would normally be referred to the Licensing Sub-Committee.

If you accumulate 12 or more penalty points in any 12 month period, the matter will be referred to the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee for the Sub-Committee to decide whether you are a fit and proper person. 

The Licensing Sub-Committee may then suspend or revoke a licence, or issue a warning to the Licensee, depending upon the circumstances.  Periods of suspension of a licence by a Sub-Committee will be dependent on the nature of the breaches of the legislation/conditions and the compliance history of the individual.  Suspension periods will normally vary between 7 to 31 days.

Penalty Points will remain current for 12 months from the date the penalty points were issued. Points issued to either the proprietor of a vehicle or a driver will be confirmed in writing normally within 10 working days from the discovery of the contravention.

The system will operate without prejudice to the Council’s ability to take other action that it is entitled to take under legislation, byelaws and regulations.

Any disputes regarding the issuing of penalty points will be referred to the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Sub-Committee, who will have the discretion to award a greater number of points than displayed on the tariff, if the complaint is upheld.  Drivers must appeal any points issued by Officers to the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Sub-Committee within 21 days.

The list of offences/breaches of condition can be found in our Penalty Points Scheme

 

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