The Licensing and Regulatory Committee of Northumberland County Council was scheduled to meet on 22 October 2025. The agenda included discussion of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, and a quarterly activity update.

Northumberland Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy

The committee was scheduled to consider a report about the licensing scheme for hackney carriages ('taxis') and private hire vehicles.

The report noted that Northumberland County Council has a statutory responsibility to regulate both hackney carriage and private hire activities by administering and enforcing a local licensing scheme. The way in which the council delivers the licensing scheme is supported by an approved licensing policy which is regularly reviewed. The current policy is the Northumberland Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy.

The report stated that there is no statutory requirement to have an adopted policy in place, but that the Department of Transport states in its taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance that:

“…all licensing authorities make publicly available a cohesive policy document…..that brings together its key information on taxi and private hire licensing"

The report noted several matters that the authority needs to keep in view in its approach to future policy development, including:

• Updated best practice from the Department of Transport, including strengthening its guidance to meeting local accessibility and equality need.
• Trailblazer powers granted to the newly formed North East Combined Authority to enable the development of a single set of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing standards regionally.
• Increased use of continuingly developing technology such as app-based ridehailing platforms and CCTV.
• Views from local trade representatives gathered during strengthened engagement work.
• The national context, including concern expressed about increased use of apparent loopholes in existing legislation, leading to the commencement of a parliamentary inquiry.

The report proposed that the committee form a working group from its membership to develop the policy. The working group would report progress on its work to the committee.

The committee was asked to note the nature of the licensing scheme and to agree to establish a working group to develop the licensing policy.

Quarterly Activity Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on licences determined by the Subcommittee and delegated officers over Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of this financial year.

The report included data on:

• Hackney carriages and private hire licences
• Animal Activity licences
• Other types of licences, including caravan sites, street trading, scrap metal collectors, and licences for tattooists.

The report also included information about hackney carriage and private hire licensing zones, and a schedule of Subcommittee decisions.

The committee was asked to consider and note the information contained in the report.