Driver’s taxi licence appeal dismissed

St Albans City and District Council’s refusal of an application for a taxi licence has been upheld on appeal. The applicant had failed to disclose driving-related convictions during the application process.

St Albans Magistrates Court also ordered the applicant to pay the Council costs of £4,505 after dismissing his appeal at a hearing on Monday 7 August.

The court heard that the man had applied to the Council for a private hire driver’s licence in January 2016. While the Council was processing the man's application, he was convicted of failing to stop after an accident and driving without due care and attention.

The applicant did not voluntarily disclose his convictions to the Council, as required and stated on the application form. The Council only found out about the convictions after the applicant was asked to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

When assessing applications, the Council is required to establish whether an applicant is a ‘fit and proper’ person to hold a licence. Its policy states that following convictions for road traffic offences twelve months would normally have to elapse before a licence can be issued. As this period had not expired, it invited the applicant to give his account of the events leading up to the convictions. The Council was not persuaded there were any mitigating circumstances and rejected the application for a licence.

The man then appealed against the Council’s decision. The appeal was dismissed by St Albans Magistrates Court on the grounds that he had fallen short of the standard required of drivers. This was due to the applicant’s failure to voluntarily disclose convictions to the Council that had arisen during the licence application process.

Cllr Beric Read, Business and Community Portfolio Holder for St Albans City and District Council, said: “Under the law, the Council has to assess whether an applicant for a taxi licence is a ‘fit and proper person’. Our application form states that applicants must keep the Council informed of any prosecutions or convictions. This case shows that if an applicant fails to tell us of a subsequent conviction then it will impact their application for a licence.”

More information about the process for applying for a taxi licence is available on the Council’s website.

Councillor contact:
Cllr Beric Read
Portfolio Holder for Community, Engagement and Localism at St Albans City and District Council
Mob: 07507 353217
Email: cllr.b.read@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Senior Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
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