The Licensing Panel of North Northamptonshire Council met on Monday 18 May 2026 to consider the fitness of several individuals to hold private hire and hackney carriage driver licences, as well as the retention of an operator licence. The panel revoked three private hire driver licences and one hackney carriage and private hire driver licence due to concerns about public safety and professionalism. In one instance, a private hire operator licence was penalised with eight points for failing to declare convictions. The panel also granted dispensation to Grange Transport Ltd for two vehicles to be licensed despite not meeting Euro 6 emission standards, acknowledging a council error in previous licensing.

Revocation of Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver Licences

The panel considered the fitness of several individuals to continue holding their private hire and hackney carriage driver licences. In multiple cases, licences were revoked due to a lack of confidence in the drivers' professionalism and commitment to public safety.

One driver had their private hire driver licence revoked after the panel applied the fit and proper person test. The panel stated they did not have the required confidence in the driver, emphasising that holding such a licence is a privilege that demands a high standard of professionalism, which had not been demonstrated.

Another driver also had their private hire driver licence revoked. The panel noted the driver's non-attendance at the hearing and the lack of explanation for failing to inform the licensing authority of certain incidents. After applying the fit and proper person test, the panel concluded they did not have the necessary confidence in the driver, citing the high standards required for private hire drivers.

A third individual faced the revocation of both their hackney carriage and private hire driver licences. The panel highlighted the driver's disqualification for 17 months and the police disclosure, which they took extremely seriously. Due to non-attendance and a failure to inform the licensing authority of incidents, the panel determined they lacked the required confidence in the driver's conduct and professionalism, leading to the revocation.

In a further case, a driver had their private hire driver licence revoked. The panel applied the fit and proper person test and expressed a lack of confidence in the driver, stating that the role requires a much higher standard of driving and professionalism than had been demonstrated.

Private Hire Operator Licence Penalty

The panel considered the fitness of an individual to hold a private hire driver licence and retain a private hire operator licence. While the application for a private hire driver licence was not approved due to a lack of confidence in the applicant's position of trust, the panel did issue eight penalty points on the operator's licence for failing to notify the licensing authority of convictions when applying. These points will remain for five years in line with policy. The panel noted that the applicant had failed to provide certain information to the licensing authority when submitting the application.

Dispensation for Grange Transport Ltd

The panel considered whether Grange Transport Ltd should be granted dispensation from the North Northamptonshire Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy regarding Euro 6 emission standards. The company had licensed three vehicles in error in October 2025, as they did not meet the Euro 6 criteria. The owners, David and Anne Ansell, explained they had purchased the vehicles in good faith based on a draft policy they had been consulted on. They highlighted that the vehicles were Euro 5 compliant, had similar emissions to Euro 6, and were essential for providing home-to-school transport, particularly for wheelchair users. The panel acknowledged the council's error in approving the vehicles initially and the Ansells' confusion regarding the policy. They decided to grant dispensation for two vehicles to be plated, noting this was an exception based on the specific facts and not a general dispensation. The panel expects the vehicles to comply with all other aspects of the policy.

Private Hire Driver Licence Sanction

In one instance, a private hire driver licence holder was given a sanction of eight penalty points, to remain in place for three years. The panel considered the representations made by the officer and the licence holder, acknowledging his attendance and honesty. While the panel felt they had the required confidence in the licence holder, they determined his conduct fell short of the professionalism required by not making a declaration within the required 48 hours of an offence occurring. This sanction was in accordance with Appendix G of the relevant policy.