The North Lincolnshire Council Place Scrutiny Panel met on 10 September 2025 to discuss Baroness Louise Casey's report on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, focusing on the role of taxi licensing. The panel also reviewed and approved the minutes from their meetings held on 2 July, 8 July, and 21 July 2025.

Baroness Casey's Report on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

The panel discussed Chapter 7 of Baroness Louise Casey's report, titled 'National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse', with the Director: Communities. The discussion focused on the role that taxis play in facilitating child sexual exploitation.

The report highlights concerns about taxi licensing and its potential role in safeguarding children. It notes that taxis are sometimes used to enable perpetrators to meet victims, traffic victims to different locations, and introduce them to other perpetrators.

The report acknowledges that most taxi drivers are law-abiding and provide an important service, but it also points out that taxi licensing has been identified in a minority of cases as a way children can be at risk of sexual exploitation. The report references the 2014 report by Professor Jay, which identified taxi drivers as a 'common thread' in child sexual exploitation cases across England.

The report notes that while the Department for Transport sets the statutory guidance local authorities must have regard to when issuing taxi licenses, some areas have gone far beyond this guidance in efforts to ensure taxis cannot be used to commit group-based child sexual exploitation again.

The report also raises concerns about the lack of stringency in some local authorities' taxi licensing processes, which allows unscrupulous drivers to apply to a lax neighbouring borough. The report quotes Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, who expressed concerns in 2023 that a high proportion of taxis operating across Greater Manchester were licensed outside the area and were undermining public safety.

The report recommends that the Department for Transport close the loopholes that allow taxi drivers to be licensed outside of the area in which they work.

Previous Meeting Minutes

The panel approved the minutes from their meetings held on 2 July, 8 July, and 21 July 2025.

2 July 2025

During the 2 July meeting, the panel discussed and agreed on the terms of reference and membership of the Governance Scrutiny Panel. They also agreed to hold future meetings on the first Wednesday of each month (except August) at Church Square House, Scunthorpe.¹ The panel discussed training requirements and agreed that members should contact the Director: Transformation and Outcomes if they wished to attend any internal or external training.

The panel also discussed and agreed on the following items to be included in the Panel's work programme for the Municipal Year 2025-26:

• Taxi Licensing and the Baroness Casey report
• North Lincolnshire Council transition to collecting food waste
• Council's use of AI²
• Homeless provision at Christmas
• Houses of Multiple Occupancy
• Local action taken to manage flood risk in North Lincolnshire
• Crime and Disorder in North Lincolnshire
• Selective Licensing³ ### 8 July 2025

During the 8 July meeting, the panel considered a call-in request regarding a Cabinet Member decision. Councillor H Rayner introduced the reasons for calling in the decision, stating that there was a lack of significant and detail contained within and feel it requires closer investigation by the relevant scrutiny panel. The signatories also believed that the decision was contrary to the policy framework or the budget.

The Transforming the Customer Journey Cabinet Member, supported by officers, responded to questions and explained the rationale for the decision, describing the importance of updating the Employee Relations Framework.

The panel resolved to take no further action and implement the decision immediately.

21 July 2025

During the 21 July meeting, the panel considered a call-in request regarding the Sustainability and Transformation Cabinet Member's decision on 'Household Support Fund 7' (HSF7). Councillors D Hart and H Rayner introduced the call-in, noting that the document did not define or elaborate on the criteria for non-qualification status for pensioners ineligible for Winter Fuel Payments.

The panel questioned the Sustainability and Transformation Cabinet Member on the decision, with the Cabinet Member and officers responding and explaining the rationale for the decision and the available support from the council.

The panel resolved to take no further action and implement the decision immediately.