ROUND THE COUNCILS
PEMBROKESHIRE: LICENSING AMENDMENTS BACKED
Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing committee supported key amendments to the county’s taxi licensing policy during its meeting on 22 October. After a six-week consultation that gathered 30 responses, the committee backed the proposals as a recommendation for a final decision by full council. Key changes include: mandatory DBS Update Service subscriptions, six-monthly criminal record checks, revised medical intervals, enhanced safeguarding training for new drivers, and stricter operator duties. A minimum Euro 6 emissions standard will apply to vehicles first licensed from next January, though existing vehicle renewals remain exempt. Addressing concerns over textured ‘Raptor’ paintwork making bodywork damage hard to assess, a new condition requires paintwork to be a “high-gloss, smooth finish”. The policy also clarifies three-year licence rules regarding right-to-work and DVLA licence expirations, warns of suspension for missing medical certificates, introduces council feedback notices in vehicles, and allows deferred payments if card transactions fail in rural areas. Officers stated the policy achieves “a balance bet- ween the council’s responsibility to protect the public and the need for a practical and sustainable licensing framework.”
REDDITCH: EIGHT-WEEK CONSULTATION LAUNCHED
Taxi licensing in Redditch is under scrutiny after Redditch BC’s
Licensing Sub-Committee held a
special hearing on 14 October. The council is currently consulting on proposals to raise the maximum permitted age of vehicles renewing their licences, allowing older cars to stay on the road longer. Under the current policy,
vehicles that exceed
standard age limits are reviewed individually, with input from licensing officers and a qualified vehicle engineer. Council documents show that between February 2023 and February 2026, 95 applications for vehicles exceeding the age limit were considered, with only nine refused and 86 approved. The review follows comparisons with neighbouring authorities, which revealed significant differences in how vehicle age restrictions are applied across the region.
PHTM NOVEMBER 2026
Additionally, discussions have taken place regarding licensing fees after the Redditch Taxi Association and operator A2B Taxis raised objections to a proposed three per cent increase in hackney carriage and private hire charges for 2026/27, which officers stated was designed strictly to recover service costs.
BOLSOVER: CABBIES FIGHT COUNTY LINES GANGS
Cabbies in Bolsover are being trained to spot and report “County Lines” drug gangs, thanks to a new initiative by Bolsover DC’s Licensing and Enforcement team. Because drivers spend long hours on the road, particularly late at night, they are uniquely positioned to notice unusual behaviour and criminal exploitation in local communities. County Lines is a violent form of drug distribution that often exploits children and vulnerable adults to move drugs, cash and weapons. Drivers are being taught to look out for signs like “cuckooing” - where criminals take over a vulnerable person’s home - plus passengers making frequent short trips, carrying multiple phones, or appearing frightened and controlled. Other warning signs include requests to avoid police, large cash payments, and being asked to deliver packages rather than transport passengers. Cllr Clive Moesby, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Resources, warned that turning a blind eye puts people at risk. He said: “Drivers must put their own safety first, but by staying alert and reporting concerns via official safeguarding routes, taxi and PH drivers play a crucial role in stopping exploitation and serious harm in our communities.”
WALSALL: MAJOR CHANGES TO PHV POLICY
Walsall Council has approved major policy changes to PHV licensing conditions. From Monday 2 November: l Any age vehicle can be plated as a PHV as long as it passes MoT & compliance test
l PHVs will have one MoT & two compliance tests a year - one compliance test with MoT and another six months later
l Outside windscreen sticker will now be positioned inside the vehicle
l First aid kit & fire extinguishers are no longer required 35
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