Burnley taxi licensing panel approves hackney carriage renewal despite MOT concerns
- Perry Richardson
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
Burnley Borough Council’s Taxi Licensing Sub Committee has approved the renewal of a Hackney Carriage Vehicle Proprietor’s Licence, despite the vehicle failing to meet the authority’s standard policy criteria on MOT faults.
The decision was taken at a meeting held at Burnley Town Hall on 6 January 2026, after the application was referred to councillors due to concerns over the vehicle’s compliance history. Under the council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy, vehicles should not have failed an MOT on two or more dangerous or major faults within the preceding two-year period.
According to the committee report, the application was brought before members because the vehicle did not satisfy the Exceptional Conditions EC1 requirement, triggering a formal hearing. The applicant, identified as SA, attended the hearing accompanied by a legal representative, with additional support present to assist with any language needs.
During deliberations, councillors considered representations from both the licensing authority and the applicant, alongside relevant regulatory frameworks. These included Burnley Council’s vehicle licensing policy, the Department for Transport’s statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards, and national best practice guidance issued in November 2023.
Sub-committee departs from council policy to renew licence after assessing vehicle history and proprietor suitability
After reviewing the evidence, the sub-committee agreed to depart from its usual policy position. Members concluded that the overall maintenance record of the vehicle was satisfactory, despite the recorded MOT failures, and that this justified an exception to the EC1 criteria.
The panel also assessed the suitability of the licence holder and confirmed that the applicant was a fit and proper person to continue operating the licensed vehicle. On that basis, councillors resolved to approve the renewal of the Hackney Carriage Vehicle Proprietor’s Licence.
