Taxi licences set to rise for first time in decade

Fees for taxi and private hire licences could be increased for the first time in more than a decade under a new council proposal.

The move, which will be discussed at Barnsley Council's general licensing regulatory board meeting later, would impact drivers and operators if approved.

The changes would see an increase across the board to reflect rising staffing costs and a more proactive approach to public safety and compliance, the council said.

A 28-day public consultation will begin on Friday, with the proposed fees directly shared with all current licence holders via email.

An officer report stated the last time fees were reviewed was in 2014, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Since then, the licensing team had grown significantly to meet demand and carried out more frequent checks on vehicles, drivers and operators.

Under the revised structure, a one-year driver's licence would rise from £137 to £150.

The three-year driver's licence would go from £221 to £240, and vehicle licences, currently £164 for a year, would increase to £180.

The most significant change would be to operator licence fees which would double under the proposals.

A one-year operator licence would rise from £63 to £126 and a five-year operator licence would rise from £127 to £254.

Officers said these fees were based on the time it took to process applications, conduct assessments, provide support, carry out inspections and issue licences.

Although these charges are set at the council's discretion, the law requires that they only cover the cost of delivering the licensing service — they cannot be used to fund enforcement action or generate additional revenue.

The report also highlights that driver enforcement costs — such as those linked to investigations or legal action — are not recoverable through fees and must be paid for by the council itself.

If no objections are received within the consultation period, the new fees will come into effect on 16 May.

If objections are submitted, the general licensing regulatory board will consider them and make a final decision within two months of the consultation closing.

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