Taxi - Craven District Council Policy upheld

Craven District Council’s Taxi Licensing Committee successfully defended their new robust policy on three occasions this week.

In Appeals listed in Harrogate and Skipton, three Appeals were disposed of in the Council’s favour.  In two cases brought by the Appellants they were determined unsuccessful by the Judge, with a third being withdrawn on the steps of the Court.

All three Appeals were brought by former Craven District licensed taxi drivers whose licences had been suspended immediately and revoked by the Licensing committee following hearings concerning alleged misconduct.

Represented by Leo Charalambides of Kings Chambers, the Council were awarded costs in each instance.

These Appeals were the first challenge against the Council’s policy which had been adopted in June 2018.  The Policy states that it will take regard of the recently published Institute of Licensing  (IoL) guidance when considering whether an Applicant is fit and proper.  The IoL guidance published this year is intended to give guidance and ensure that licensing authorities across the country are placing public safety at the heart of their decision-making process when deciding whether applicants are ‘fit and proper’ to be licensed in the absence of such guidance from the DoT. 

In their press release, Craven have quoted the Magistrates who stated:

“…in dismissing the appeals, have reaffirmed the fact that Craven District Council, through its more robust policy with the safety of the public at its heart, are ensuring that only those people who are deemed ‘fit and proper’ continue to be licensed in Craven.”