LGA hails ministerial change of heart on enhanced CRB checks for taxi drivers
Licensing authorities will be able to apply for enhanced CRB checks for all taxi and private hire vehicle drivers, under Home Office proposals published today.
Criminal Information Minister Lynne Featherstone said that licensing authorities would also be able to check whether any applicants are barred from working with children or vulnerable people.
The proposals mean that all new taxi and minicab drivers will be eligible for an enhanced check before they are issued with a licence. Existing drivers will be required to have the additional checks when they apply to renew their licence.
The Criminal Records Bureau had informed local authorities in 2011 that it planned to end the ten-year practice of checking drivers through the enhanced check.
Together with Transport for London, the LGA lobbied against the move. The association argued that enhanced CRB checks were fundamental to a robust taxi licensing process, pointing out that 10% of all licence applications in London were refused as a result of discoveries made through the process.
Featherstone said: “We are determined to ensure the criminal records scheme is balanced to respect civil liberties and protect the public. Taxi drivers provide a valuable service transporting children to school and lone women home after a night out so it is only right that the public should have confidence proper checks have been carried out.
“These proposals will ensure that licensing authorities have all the information they need to make informed decisions before granting licences to drivers.”
Ministers insisted that they were still committed to a radical overhaul of the vetting and barring system “intended to scale it back to common sense levels, while still ensuring adequate protections are in place where they are needed most”.
The changes will be introduced by secondary legislation as soon as is practicable.
The Local Government Association welcomed the government’s change of stance. Cllr Mehboob Khan, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “The number one priority for councils is always to keep residents safe. We take this responsibility very seriously and were very concerned about the Government decision to stop enhanced CRB checks for taxi and private hire drivers.
“Anyone getting into a taxi or private hire vehicle should be able to do so safe in the knowledge that they can rely on their council having fully checked the background of the driver before giving them a licence.”
Cllr Khan acknowledged that the “overwhelming majority” of licensed taxi and private hire drivers were reputable and honest individuals who provided a valuable service.
He argued that councils wanted to help support and promote this positive image of the taxi industry by “ensuring that the licensing process cannot be exploited by those looking to target vulnerable passengers”.
Cllr Khan also hailed as “a very positive move” the news that councils would also have additional powers to check whether any applicant is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Philip Hoult
