The Licensing (Public Protection) Committee of Buckinghamshire Council met on Monday 19 January 2026 to discuss and approve changes to taxi and private hire licensing fees and policies. Key decisions included a 3.5% increase in taxi and private hire licensing fees and the adoption of several amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, aimed at enhancing public safety and accessibility.

Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Budget Review and Fees and Charges

The committee reviewed the forecasted financial position of the licensing service for 2025/26 and approved a proposed 3.5% increase in taxi and private hire licensing fees for the 2026/27 period. This increase is intended to maintain a cost-neutral service, as councils are legally prohibited from making a profit from such fees and must only recover legitimate costs. Despite achieving significant savings of £62,104 and contributing £28,625 towards a historic deficit, lower-than-expected application numbers had created an income shortfall, projecting a net adverse budget position of £11,660. The proposed fee increase is lower than the wider organisation's recommended 5% rise.

The Taxi Licensing Officer clarified several minor corrections to the published report before the recommendation was made. The committee was informed that staffing costs remain the largest expenditure. While internal improvements, including the use of AI for English language test assessments, have freed up staff time, the recommended fee uplift is necessary to address the projected budget deficit. Benchmarking against 11 neighbouring authorities indicated that the proposed fees are broadly mid-range, and in many cases, particularly for new vehicle licences, are lower than the regional average. The complexity of comparisons was noted due to varied local policies, such as the inclusion of English language testing or additional vehicle checks in other councils' fees.

The committee resolved to agree to the proposed fees and charges set out at Appendix A prior to statutory advertisement.

Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy Review post consultation

The committee reviewed proposed amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, following extensive public consultations. The report detailed nineteen recommendations, with six introduced in detail for the meeting, aiming to enhance public safety, improve accessibility, and support efficient licensing processes.

Key proposed amendments include:

• Medical Assessments: Revising the process so that assessments can be conducted by any council-approved GMC-registered doctor, rather than solely the driver's own GP, to reduce costs and delays. Summary care records may be accepted for subsequent assessments if a doctor has previously reviewed the full history.
• Intended Use Policy: Requiring applicants to demonstrate a genuine intention to work mainly within the council area, using their home address as evidence, to mitigate the risk of individuals obtaining licences for work elsewhere.
• Certificates of Good Conduct: Aligning the policy with Home Office guidance, requiring certificates only for periods of 12 months or more spent abroad within the last ten years, down from the previous three-month threshold, to streamline vetting.
• Vehicle Age Limits: Extending the maximum age for standard Euro 6 compliant vehicles from 10 to 12 years, while retaining exemptions for wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and ultra-low/zero-emission vehicles (15 years).
• Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs): Proposing to remove grandfather rights for non-WAV hackney carriages, requiring all hackney carriages to become wheelchair accessible upon licence renewal. This aims to address persistent shortages and inconsistency across the county. The extended maximum age limit for standard vehicles is intended to help fleets transition gradually. A revised enhanced WAV specification will be developed within 12 months.
• Criminal Records and Unacceptable Behaviour Policy: Updating the policy to align with the Institute of Licensing's revised suitability guidance (November 2024), which expands offence categories and includes non-criminal behaviours of concern. A more moderate approach to DVLA penalty points is proposed, requiring a further driving assessment if seven or more points are accumulated, with a 12-month suspension only if the assessment is failed.

Concerns were raised about delaying fleet accessibility improvements by extending vehicle age limits, but officers assured members that the proposals aimed to balance economic reality with accessibility obligations. The committee also discussed broadening the wording on violence against women and girls, with officers agreeing to explore collecting and publishing data on taxi-related incidents affecting women and girls and separating commitments to tackle gender-based violence into a distinct recommendation. The optional nature of CCTV in vehicles was also discussed, with officers explaining that public consultation showed a 50/50 split on the issue, and installation costs and data protection responsibilities were significant.

The committee resolved to note the proposed amendments to the Buckinghamshire Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, which will be incorporated into a revised policy for further consideration.

The date of the next meeting was noted as 17 March 2026 at 6:30 pm.