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Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaints
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Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 25, 2026 2:49 am ]
Post subject:  Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaints
For what it's worth, I came across the FOI/enforcement stuff while looking for a council paper featured in a Taxi Point article, which was about the difficulty in doing stuff in relation to trade complaints about cross-border cars plying for hire etc, because the trade won't follow through to support any prosecutions.

So that's another angle to the whole compliance and enforcement thing.

(Until recently I thought 'compliance' and 'enforcement' basically means the same thing. But, at least according to Wolves, compliance is the inspections and checking etc, while enforcement is suspensions and prosecutions etc. Every day's a school day :-o

Although I'm sure the other 300 councils may take a different view on that :lol: )
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 25, 2026 2:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaint
Anyway, and for what it's worth, this is the item on the Bracknell Forsest agenda paper:

Bracknell Forest Council wrote:
Unregulated Out-of-Area Private Hire Vehicles:

The trade continues to raise concerns about of out-of-area private hire vehicles
operating within the borough.

Officer Response: This matter has been raised and has been responded to on
several previous occasions. Officers are only permitted to undertake enforcement
activity where these drivers are breaking the law as they are permitted to operate in
Bracknell Forest. Enforcement action can only be taken where there is evidence to
support the prosecution. Officers are currently prosecuting such a driver for operating
without a licence who was seen by a Council employee. Officers continue to
undertake enforcement exercises to observe these behaviours.

Officers also welcome reports from members of the trade however, the only option to
deal with any illegal drivers is through prosecution for Plying for Hire which then
invalidates their vehicle insurance and therefore they can be prosecuted for no
insurance. The stumbling block for officers with regards to this is that the trade
member who has witnessed this and who possibly takes photographic evidence
becomes the Council’s main witness and will therefore be required to provide a
statement detailing what they have seen and then appear in court in support of the
Council.

Unfortunately, when these reports are received and the member of the trade is asked
to provide a statement and support the Council in its efforts to prosecute the driver
concerned, the trade is reluctant to assist meaning that no action can be taken.
Officers will of course pass the details onto the relevant local authority for which they
are licensed if this can be determined but have no jurisdiction on what if any action
the relevant local authority takes.

https://democratic.bracknell-forest.gov ... Update.pdf
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Feb 25, 2026 2:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaint
Bracknell Forest Council wrote:
Officers continue to undertake enforcement exercises to observe these behaviours

I think Wolverhampton would call that a compliance exercise, and it's the enforcement bit that the council here are having a problem with :lol:
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Feb 25, 2026 9:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaint
Quote:
(Until recently I thought 'compliance' and 'enforcement' basically means the same thing. But, at least according to Wolves, compliance is the inspections and checking etc, while enforcement is suspensions and prosecutions etc. Every day's a school day :-o

Not sure I agree with the basket case council.

Compliance is adhering to the licensing rules and regulations set by both local and national governments. Basically, things licensed folks must do.

Enforcement is the actions both local and national governments take to ensure compliance.
Author:  StuartW [ Thu Feb 26, 2026 10:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaint
Indeed, Sussex, in the stricter sense of the word 'compliance' at least.

But Wolves use it in the looser sense, kind of meaning what they do to ensure licencees are complying with the rules. Or something like that.

So on Twitter they refer, for example, to compliance officers, licensing compliance, or simply 'compliance' in shorthand, in the same manner as we might refer to *licensing* in shorthand to mean a council's taxi and private hire licensing function, or whatever.

So maybe Wolves use the term licensing compliance in the same way as most councils refer to licensing enforcement #-o

Personally, I don't think it really makes a lot of difference, and it's all a bit 'how many angels can dance on the head of a pin'-ish :lol:

But just thought I'd point it out, because Wolverhampton thought it relevant to point out the difference :-o

Anyway, some recent examples from Wolverhampton's twitter account:

Quote:
Last night, Compliance Officers were out checking @WolvesCouncil
private hire vehicles working in Chorley, Lancashire.

Quote:
Yesterday, Compliance Officers got wet, wet, wet in torrential weather conditions at three regional Airports Birmingham, Manchester & East Midlands in coordinated licensing operations making sure everyone was getting home/away safe

Quote:
Licensing Compliance were on patrol in Nuneaton and Bedworth last Friday night, alongside @warkspolice and colleagues from @NBBCouncil

Quote:
Compliance found this tyre on a @WolvesCouncil
PHV in Manchester City Centre on Friday night. PHV licence suspended!

Quote:
On Friday night, while on patrol with @MerPolTraffic
in Liverpool City Centre, Compliance found this vehicle with a split in the tyre wall.
Author:  StuartW [ Thu Feb 26, 2026 10:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bracknell Forest bemoans follow through on PFH complaint
...and last night couldn't quite remember where I saw them outlining the difference, (another potential rabbit hole finding that...), but found it pretty easily where I guessed it might be. So it's in that glossy holiday brochure-style document Wolverhampton Council produced last year, called:



Taxi Compliance Strategy 2025-2027

https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/sites/ ... rategy.pdf



Can't remember if that document was ever mentioned on here, and I couldn't be bothered reading it in full (too much spin, PR and gaslighting, at a rough guess :roll: ), but couldn't help noticing this in the foreword:

Wolverhampton City Council Taxi Compliance Strategy 2025-2027 foreword wrote:
A key function for upholding public safety
is compliance (ensuring licence holders are
following their licence conditions and the
law) and enforcement (taking action against
licensees who breach conditions or break the
law, as well as any illegal/unlicensed traders).
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