Buckinghamshire Court Upholds Taxi Licence Refusal Decision

A former taxi driver, Basit Ali, has lost his appeal against Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to deny him a hackney carriage and private hire driver licence. The council refused Ali’s application due to a caution he received in 2012 for sexual assault. His appeal was heard at Wycombe Magistrates Court in December, where the court upheld the council’s decision.

Council’s Firm Stance on Licensing

Buckinghamshire Council revoked Ali’s taxi licence following the caution in 2012 and subsequently rejected his applications for new licences in 2015, 2016, and 2018. The council has been applying stricter licensing policies in recent years, leading to an increase in rejected taxi applications and fee hikes in Buckinghamshire. Ali applied again in 2023, but the council maintained that he could not be considered "fit and proper" to hold a licence. According to council policy, a caution for sexual misconduct is treated in the same way as a conviction, emphasizing public safety as a top priority.

Court’s Ruling and Legal Costs

Ali argued in court that the council placed too much weight on his past caution while disregarding his good conduct since then. However, the magistrates found that the council had applied its policy correctly, and there were no exceptional circumstances to justify overturning the refusal. The court dismissed Ali’s appeal and ordered him to pay the council’s legal costs, totaling £5,740.56.

Council’s Statement on Public Safety

Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire’s Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Service, stated:

"The safety and wellbeing of the public is of paramount importance to Buckinghamshire Council. It is in the best interests of the taxi trade that the public have confidence in the safety of taxi vehicles and of those driving them and we therefore remain committed to applying our policies robustly and this includes ensuring that only those individuals who are deemed fit and proper are granted licences."