The Taxi & General Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider the suitability of two drivers to be licensed as private hire drivers. The meeting was also scheduled to discuss the exclusion of the press and public from certain agenda items due to the potential disclosure of exempt information.

Driver Suitability for Private Hire Licences

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the suitability of two individuals to hold private hire driver licences. The reports pack indicated that these discussions would involve information relating to individuals, necessitating the potential exclusion of the press and public from these agenda items.

The first item, scheduled to be discussed from pages 5 to 24 of the public reports pack, concerned the suitability of a driver to be a private hire driver. The second item, detailed from pages 25 to 36 of the same pack, also focused on establishing a driver's suitability for a private hire driver licence.

The agenda documents noted that if the Sub-Committee decided not to make a decision in public, they were recommended to resolve:

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 1 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

This approach is in line with the Local Government Act 1972¹, which allows for the exclusion of the public and press when sensitive information, such as that relating to individuals, is to be discussed.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Holding Room, The Guildhall, St. Giles Street, Northampton, NN1 1DE. The agenda was prepared by Sarah Hall, Proper Officer, on 8 September 2026. Queries regarding the agenda were to be directed to Ed Bostock, Democratic Services, at West Northamptonshire Council.