Stricter Leeds taxi safeguarding checks lead to suspensions
FIVE taxi drivers have had their licences revoked as a result Leeds City Council introducing annual and random online criminal record checks as opposed to three yearly checks in a bid to improved safeguarding measures.
A report to Wednesday’s meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board states the changes were part of measures introduced following issues raised in the 2014 report into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham about safeguarding controls in taxi and private hire licensing.
From 5,369 checks made a total of 70 new convictions or cautions were revealed which had not been previously disclosed. Of these, officers revoked the licences of five drivers, with the remainder requiring formal warnings or additional training.
The executive board will hear that the actions already taken include compulsory safeguarding training for all drivers and a change in policy for applicants born outside of the UK.