ROUND THE COUNCILS COLCHESTER: CCTV & LICENSING CONSULTATION
Colchester City Council is inviting residents, drivers, and operators to share their views as part of a public consultation on the future of CCTV in taxis and PHVs. The consultation forms part of a wider review of the council’s Taxi Licensing Policy and follows a detailed assessment by the Licensing Committee. While the council has decided not to mandate CCTV installation at this time, it is encouraging voluntary use, supported by
clear guidance to ensure
compliance with data protection laws. The guidance reflects a careful balance between public safety, privacy, and financial sustainability. Although CCTV can help deter crime and assist investigations, the low number of reported incidents inside taxis may not justify the costs and legal responsibilities that mandatory CCTV would bring. If made compulsory, the council would become the legal data controller for all footage, with associated costs and regulatory responsibilities. There are also implications for operators and drivers. The council’s approach is in line with national guidance and mirrors the practices of neighbouring authorities. The public consultation can be found here and is now live:
https://www.colchester.gov.uk/hackney-carriage- private-hire-policy-consultation/ The consultation finishes on 6 November 2025.
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE: MANDATORY CCTV CONSIDERED
Following recommendations from The Casey Report, North Lincolnshire Council is exploring ways
to
enhance its taxi licensing safeguards, including the potential for mandatory CCTV. The council’s place scrutiny panel reviewed the authority’s current approach, which officials say already surpasses national DfT guidelines. Existing measures include: l Enhanced DBS checks every six months. l Clearly defined “fit and proper person” guidance for licensing decisions.
l Immediate licence suspension or revocation for drivers accused of a serious offence.
l A required safeguarding and knowledge test every three years, first introduced after the 2014 Jay Report into the Rotherham grooming scandal. Council officials expressed concerns about The Casey
PHTM OCTOBER 2025
Report’s recommendation for a 100% pass mark on the safeguarding test. According to Richard Cropley, the council’s head of trading and standards, a 100% pass mark on the multiple-choice section of their current test would result in no one passing. The council will continue to use its current test and pass mark while the National Institute of Licensing works on a standardised version. Regarding mandatory CCTV, Cropley noted the council previously rejected it due to legal concerns over data protection responsibility. The council currently permits voluntary CCTV, though take-up is “nominal.” However, panel chair, Cllr Ian Bint, argued that protecting children “has to be a higher priority than the theoretical risk of the data controller” and encouraged a re-evaluation of the policy. Council officers were praised for their existing efforts and were asked to provide an update in six months, specifically on the issues of CCTV and data protection.
BARNSLEY: CCTV PILOT TO INCLUDE SCHOOL PHVs
Barnsley Council is proposing to install CCTV cameras in PHVs used for home-to-school transport, building on a successful pilot programme that placed cameras in the town’s hackney carriages. The new initiative, detailed in a council report, aims to improve safety for both drivers and passengers and address challenging behaviour. The move comes after the council successfully rolled out CCTV in hackney carriages, funded by a £173,500 grant from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. This initial project was designed to “enhance both passenger and driver safety by deterring criminal activity.” While a third of hackney carriage drivers had opposed the cameras, the scheme still went ahead. According to a council report: “There are sufficient funds remaining from the pilot scheme to now offer the installation of CCTV to our PHV owners holding a home- to-school transport contract with the local authority.” The report highlights that this group of drivers “experience similar concerns regarding dealing with challenging behaviours from some passengers in their vehicles.” The report also notes that “CCTV in PHVs will enhance safeguarding protocols, ”and aligns with a broader goal to “increase driver/passenger safety and encourage more drivers to work unsociable times.” A public consultation on the new plans is set to run until October 17.
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