Before becoming a driver, there are several requirements that must be met.
The first is an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which includes a check on the children and vulnerable adults barred list. It is a criminal offence for people on barred lists to apply to work in a regulated activity and offenders are reported to the police.
Where there is information on the applicant’s DBS certificate, this is considered in accordance with the Council’s Guidelines. These guidelines have been consulted on with the industry, police, courts and all other councils. The guidelines have been benchmarked against the Institute of Licensing’s Guidance and the Government’s Statutory Standards and in both documents cases, the Council’s rehabilitation periods are longer. The Council’s Guidelines are regularly reviewed and as of November 2022 are currently under review pending the anticipated publication of Government Best Practice Guidance.
Drivers must have held a UK driving licence for at least one year and this licence is checked as part of the application process. Where there are motoring convictions, these are also considered against the Council’s guidelines.
Drivers must undergo medical certification to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Group 2 Standards. This may only be completed by a General Medical Council (GMC) registered practitioner.
Drivers must attend a one-day driver training programme, provided independently by Worcestershire County Council. This training is only available in English and covers the following:
- A face-to-face English assessment (followed by a recorded interview where there are any concerns)
- Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
- Child Sex Exploitation (CSE) awareness
- Modern Slavery
- Licence conditions
- Vehicle conditions
- The licensing process
- Enforcement and compliance
- Plying for hire
- The Health Act 2006
- Environmental Protection Act 1990
- Customer safety
- Customer care
- Disability awareness
- Road and passenger safety
- Personal safety
This syllabus is regularly reviewed, including with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Partnership Strategic Exploitation Co-ordinator. At the end of the training programme, there is a written assessment. Across 2021 and 2022, 55% of applicants failed this assessment.
Where there are concerns about applicants suspected of involvement in historic child sex exploitation investigations, further vetting is undertaken by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Applicants are also required to disclose any previous licensing history. Enquiries are made with those authorities and any previous complaints considered with the Council’s Guidelines.
The applicant is also checked against the National Anti-Fraud Network’s (NAFN) National Register of Refusals, Revocations and Suspensions (NR3S). The Council uploaded all its historic computer data to this register and all refusals by the Council are added to this register. Where a matching record is found, information is requested from the licensing authority and a licence will not be granted until this information is considered.
Finally, the driver must attend our offices in person, where they undergo facial verification against their driving licence and proof of right to work in the UK. We use a state-of-the-art system which uses the same technology as can be found at Border Control’s ePassport Gates in UK airports.
If the applicant is renewing their licence or has held the same licence within the last 12 months, they must provide an HMRC Tax Check code to show that they registered to pay tax.
It is only after these checks have been satisfied that an applicant can become a licensed driver.
Once a driver is granted, we continue to monitor them. We use the DBS Update Service to check drivers’ DBS certificates every day of the week. Where new information is found, their licence is reviewed. An enquiry is also made to the DBS to determine whether the information is that the driver has been added to a barred list and is prohibited from working with children and/or vulnerable adults.
If their licence is revoked, this decision is recorded on NR3S, in case the driver tries to apply for a licence at another authority. The Council also considers whether the complaints against the driver necessitate consideration by the Disclosure and Barring Service for the former driver to be added to the children and/or vulnerable adults barred lists.
The driver can only undertake work in a vehicle licensed by City of Wolverhampton Council. DBS checks are also carried out on vehicle licence applicants, as well as a check that the vehicle is insured for public and/or private hire. A Ministry of Transport (MOT) certificate dated no more than 10 days prior to the application date must also be provided. The vehicle is then checked in person by our trained vehicle inspectors.
We also undertake Compliance Operations throughout the year, including Friday and Saturday nights to ensure safety for visitors to the night-time economy. Whilst people apply to Wolverhampton from all over the country, we conduct compliance operations all over the country. In the last year, we have covered:
These operations are conducted in partnership with officers from the respective licensing authority, as well as the local police force and representatives from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). All Compliance Officers are City and Guilds qualified basic vehicle examiners. The Council has never refused a request from a licensing authority for a compliance operation in their area.
Importantly, our driver conditions dictate that drivers must cooperate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas. Any breach of this condition would be looked on most unfavourably:
3.9 A private hire licence is a badge of approval, it states the Local Authority feels the holder is fit and proper and suitable in every way. The standard of behaviour and level of trust expected should be demonstrated in the conduct of those licensed at all times. This includes when drivers are operating outside of Wolverhampton, where drivers are expected to co-operate with reasonable requests from compliance staff authorised in other areas.
This condition empowers officers in other areas and where drivers are breaking the law then other licensing authorities can and do prosecute them.
It should be noted that there is no provision in legislation to refuse to consider an application from an individual who lives outside of Wolverhampton. As such, the Council considers those applications and where the applicant is ‘fit and proper’, a licence is granted.
As of 2023, the service is being audited annually. The service has not previously failed an audit.
If you have a complaint about a driver, vehicle proprietor or operator, you can provide information at Taxi Complaints or call our dedicated complaints line 01902 55 TAXI.
Where complaints are made, the Council has a key performance indicator (KPI) for all complaints involving safeguarding concerns to be investigated within one day. The Council is 100% compliant with this KPI.