North East councils pursue memorandum of understanding to allow cross border taxi enforcement

Local authorities in the North East are looking to enter into a memorandum of understanding that would allow enforcement across council boundaries with regard to taxis.

The MoU would authorise officers across the region to undertake enforcement irrespective of where the relevant licence was obtained.

The participating authorities are: Darlington; Durham; Gateshead; Hartlepool; Middlesbrough; Newcastle upon Tyne; Northumberland; North Tyneside; Redcar & Cleveland; South Tyneside; and Stockton-on-Tees.

The Cabinet at Sunderland City Council was also due to consider yesterday whether to join the arrangements.

A report prepared ahead of the Cabinet meeting said: “Since 2015, local authorities from various parts of England have expressed concerns relating to the increased numbers of taxis licensed by other councils operating in their areas. Such ‘out of area’ vehicles are not subject to any regulatory oversight by officers of the council in whose area they are being operated.

“In pursuance of the arrangements, this council would authorise the taxi licensing officers of the other eleven local authorities in the region to undertake enforcement in the same manner as we delegate powers to our own staff. Then, taxis licensed by this council could be inspected by council officers of any area in our region within which the vehicle was being used. Similarly, our staff would be authorised by the other local authorities to inspect out of area taxis used in this City.”

It was proposed in the Cabinet report that the council would delegate taxi licensing enforcement powers under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions Act) 1976 to officers similarly authorised under those statutes by the other licensing authorities in the region, and that the council would agree that its licensing officers were similarly authorised by our partners.

“Officers of another local authority finding a problem with a taxi licensed by this council will refer the details to our licensing officers,” the report added. “Our officers will deal with the matter in the same way as we would deal with an incident occurring in our area and, if appropriate, refer the matter to our Regulatory Committee.”

The Cabinet report said that, if the MoU plan was approved, officers would raise awareness of the situation with its licensed trade.