Independent report identifies safeguarding failings in council licensing function

South Ribble Borough Council failed to properly check taxi drivers for involvement in child sexual exploitation, a report by a law firm has found.

Solicitors Wilkin Chapman were asked to investigate after some officers and councillors last summer voiced concern about decisions to renew the licences of certain taxi drivers where there were potential incidents of child sexual exploitation.

The firm’s report said the Local Safeguarding Children Board had since identified one case of potential grooming but decided that no other case raised concerns linked to this exploitation.

Responding to these concerns caused the council to make a wider investigation of its taxi licensing service, ultimately leading to the Wilkin Chapman report.

This found there had been frustrations among council staff about a new IT system, which had resulted in some licence applications being completed without the correct documentation in place.

Investigations into concerns about taxi drivers, where conducted at all, lacked structure - as did liaison with the police - and record keeping was poor.

There was also a common practice found of issuing a licence without the officer concerned seeing a disclosure and barring certificate, though the report said this approach had since been stopped.

In the ensuing investigations two staff were suspended and another moved to other duties. The council is still considering the outcome of disciplinary proceedings held in May.

Wilkin Chapman concluded: “There had been a lack of awareness and priority given to safeguarding and the safety of taxi passengers in the manner in which licensing issues were addressed in the period we examined, however that was some six months ago.

“The council has been active at every stage in responding to issues and concerns identified. It has taken steps to address operational issues in the licensing function and has engaged fully with other agencies in so doing. In the light of the above, it is not necessary to make any further recommendations.”

Council leader Margaret Smith said: “The public rightly expects our licensing service to provide them with the right level of protection and we regret any instances where we have fallen short of the mark.”

She added: “We have checked and double-checked the licence of every single taxi driver licensed by [the] council. We have given refresher training to all employees and members of the licensing committee in safeguarding children. We will also be rolling out a programme for all councillors, as well as undertaking training for the taxi trade itself.”

Mark Smulian