MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS AND ENFORCEMENT: Taxi and private hire cross-border issues dominate Mansfield Council agenda
- Perry Richardson
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
Taxi and private hire licensing will be a central focus when Mansfield District Council’s Licensing Committee meets on 22 January, with councillors set to review enforcement activity, complaint trends and the growing impact of national reform proposals on local control.
The meeting agenda includes a Licensing Activity Report covering the period since the committee last met in October, providing councillors with an update on driver numbers, complaints, compliance action and wider regulatory developments affecting the taxi and private hire sector .
According to the report, Mansfield has seen modest growth in licensed activity, with ten new drivers, three new private hire vehicles and one new hackney carriage added since the previous meeting. Officers note this as a sign of steady demand, while also highlighting the operational pressures placed on the licensing team as enforcement activity increases alongside fleet growth.
Complaints handling is expected to attract particular attention. Seventeen complaints about taxi and private hire drivers were received during the period, with the majority relating to drivers licensed outside the Mansfield area. In those cases, details were passed to the issuing authorities, which then issued warnings or advice. Complaints involving locally licensed drivers led to investigations, warnings or no further action where allegations were not substantiated.
Licensing Committee to review complaints, out-of-area working and national reform at 22 January meeting
The report also outlines targeted evening enforcement operations, which resulted in more than twenty drivers being reported to various licensing authorities for waiting or parking without a valid booking. While most cases were dealt with through advice and warnings, the activity reflects ongoing concerns around compliance, rank discipline and out-of-area working in the town centre, particularly during peak periods.
Beyond local enforcement, councillors will be briefed on national developments that could significantly alter the future of taxi and private hire licensing. The Government is consulting on proposals to transfer licensing responsibilities from district councils to local transport authorities, a move linked to wider English devolution plans. The report notes that this follows Baroness Casey’s national audit into group-based child sexual exploitation, which identified inconsistent taxi licensing standards and weak information-sharing as safeguarding risks.
Linked to this, ministers are preparing legislation to introduce national minimum standards for taxi and private hire drivers, vehicles and operators. These standards are intended to reduce variation between licensing authorities and prevent drivers from exploiting perceived weaker regimes. Officers caution that, if implemented, the changes would reduce local discretion while increasing the emphasis on uniform compliance and enforcement across wider regions.
