We are aware of a social media post published by Cllr Fraser McFarland in relation to Bassetlaw District Council’s Licensing Committee and the approach that is taken when dealing with applicants that have previous convictions for sexual or violent offences.
Please read the statement below.
A spokesperson for Bassetlaw District Council said:
“We strongly reject Cllr Fraser McFarland’s statements regarding the issue of Taxi Driver’s Licences in Bassetlaw and that decisions made by Licensing Committee have put anyone’s safety at risk.
“Bassetlaw District Council’s policy does not allow the committee to grant a Taxi Licence to any individual with a previous conviction for a sexual offence, does not license any driver whose name appears on the Sex Offender’s Register, and does not license any individual who has been barred from working with children and adults.
“The Council does not issue a Taxi Licence to anyone who has committed a ‘serious’ violent offence in the last 10 years, or within 10 years of the end of their sentence.
“We take public safety extremely seriously and want to reassure the public that anyone providing a licensed taxi service in Bassetlaw has been through a rigorous and stringent application process, which includes Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and mandatory safeguarding training. Any updates to existing driver’s DBS records are flagged on a daily basis for review by the Council’s Licensing Department.
“The Council currently licenses 142 active taxi drivers. Of the 15 licences that have been referenced by Cllr McFarland, there are just five active drivers who have historical convictions.
“All of these offences were committed and spent between 10 and 33 years ago and are not defined as ‘serious’ by our policy. There have been no complaints or allegations made to us by the public or by the Police regarding these drivers.
“Licensing Committee is a non-political, cross-party committee that has representation from all Bassetlaw District Council political parties.
“The committee has a legal duty to consider the safety of the public when determining an application and operates in line with its policies, which themselves follow a strict national legislative framework.
“Where an applicant has a previous conviction for any offence, including after the 10-year period has passed for a ‘serious’ violent offence, each application is considered individually by the committee and is based on a range of evidence, which could include information from the Disclosure and Barring Service, the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Should there be any doubt as to the applicant being a fit and proper person, the committee will not grant an application.
“It is important that Cllr McFarland’s comments do not undermine the wider taxi industry in Bassetlaw and cast any doubt over the legitimacy of all taxi drivers in our district, especially during what will be one of their busiest times of the year.”
Last Updated on Tuesday, December 9, 2025