ALL THINGS LICENSING
BUILDING EXCELLENCE FOR LICENSING: WHY IoL’S NEW STRATEGY MATTERS FOR LICENSED TRADE
Article by Mike Smith, Joint Deputy Licensing Manager at Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils Shared Regulatory Services and Advisory Council Representative of the IoL South East Region.
Please note that this article represents my own views and is not presented as the views of the IoL nor Guildford or Waverley Borough Councils.
As the leaves begin to turn and autumn settles across our towns and cities, November brings with it a familiar period of reflection. It is a time when licensing professionals look back on a year of legislative change, challenging decisions and evolving public expectations. It is also a time when many of us gather at the Institute of Licensing National Training Conference to consider the future of our profession.
This year, that future has been brought sharply into focus by the launch of the Institute of Licensing’s new five-year strategy, Building Excellence, Achieving Charter Status. The strategy sets out an ambitious roadmap for the period 2026-2031 and represents perhaps the clearest statement yet of the Institute’s long-term vision: to establish licensing as a recognised profession with clear qualifications, robust professional standards and ultimately Chartered status.
For those working within taxi and private hire licensing, this is far more than an internal organisational document. It has the potential to influence the way licensing professionals are trained, recognised and empowered, ultimately leading to better regulation, greater consistency and improved public confidence across the sectors we regulate.
Why professional recognition matters
Those of us who work in licensing have long understood the complexity of the role.
Licensing officers are frequently required to navigate legal frameworks, assess risk, interpret evidence, balance competing interests and make decisions that directly affect public safety. We deal with everything from alcohol licensing and gambling regulation to taxis, animal welfare, scrap metal, street trading and public protection.
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Yet despite the significance of this work, licensing has often lacked the professional recognition afforded to disciplines such as planning, environmental health or building control.
The IoL strategy openly acknowledges this challenge. It notes that licensing requires specialist knowledge, ethical judgement and ongoing professional development, while facing increasing pressures arising from legislative change, devolution, local government reorganisation and financial constraints.
Many licensing practitioners will recognise that description immediately.
Across the country, licensing teams are being asked to do more with less. At the same time, the issues facing regulators are becoming increasingly complex. Whether that is safeguarding vulnerable passengers, responding to new technology platforms, tackling illegal working, preparing for autonomous vehicle developments or ensuring appropriate standards among drivers and operators, taxi licensing has never been more demanding.
Against that backdrop, the IoL’s ambition to professionalise licensing feels both timely and necessary.
A qualifications framework for the profession
One of the most significant proposals within the strategy is the development of a qualifications framework spanning Levels 3 to 6. The Institute aims to create a structured pathway allowing practitioners to develop knowledge and skills throughout their careers.
This is important.
Historically, many licensing officers have entered the profession through varied routes. Some come from environmental health, others from enforcement, legal services, community safety or administration. While this diversity brings strength, it can also result in inconsistencies in training and professional development.
A recognised qualification pathway would help address that.
NOVEMBER 2026 PHTM
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