Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing committee has recommended a revised taxi and private hire licensing policy to full council. Committee report The Western Telegraph reports that members approved that recommendation on 22 October 2026. Full council has still to adopt the policy, so it is not in force.
The committee agreed on 28 May 2026 to a six-week consultation. It ran on the council’s Have Your Say site and closed on 23 September 2026. Drivers were also contacted through the Taxi Newsletter and by email. Thirty responses came in, 63% from licence holders and 37% from Pembrokeshire residents. Two days before the close, 18 responses were in. A reminder email brought 12 more.
Driver checks
Licensed drivers would have to subscribe to the DBS Update Service, so the council can make a DBS status check every six months without a new disclosure each time. The policy would adopt the Institute of Licensing suitability guidance published in 2024.
Medical intervals would be revised, broadly in line with those for other professional drivers. For many existing drivers under 45, routine medicals would be less frequent than the current medical at every three-year renewal. A driver who does not provide a satisfactory medical certificate when required may have the licence suspended. That reflects existing practice.
New applicants would need stronger safeguarding and disability awareness training. Private hire operators would have stronger duties on complaint handling, record keeping and reporting. The draft clarifies how a three-year driver licence will operate if a driver’s right to work, or their DVLA driving licence, expires during the licence period.
Vehicles
From 1 January 2027, a vehicle newly presented for licensing would have to meet Euro 6. An existing vehicle licence could still be renewed without meeting that standard, where there has been no break in the licence. Euro 6 is an emissions standard. It does not require an electric vehicle.
A brand-new vehicle would be exempt from the initial council garage MOT test. A licensing compliance and plating inspection would still be required before the vehicle is licensed. The allowed age of a taximeter calibration certificate would rise from 10 to 30 working days.
Paintwork would have to be maintained in good condition, of a uniform colour, and to a high-gloss, smooth finish. During the consultation, more licensed vehicles were being presented with textured protective coatings, commonly called Raptor paintwork. Licensing officers and council garage testers raised the appearance, and the risk that a textured finish makes the bodywork underneath harder to assess. Drivers were notified on 28 August 2026 and directed to the consultation. One detailed representation supported the condition, and no objections were received.
Licensed vehicles would have to display a council feedback and complaints notice. If a card payment fails, payment may be arranged afterwards. A trip to a cash machine may be impractical in a rural area.
What the consultation found
Among the 30 responses, 70% agreed with the DBS Update Service requirement, 73% with the medical frequency, and 82% with the updated suitability criteria. For vehicles, 60% agreed with Euro 6 for those newly licensed, and 44% with extending an emissions requirement to the existing fleet over time. With less support for that extension, the staged approach remains, and it could be looked at again at the next policy review. For operators, 76% agreed with the updated conditions.
Affordability, the availability of vehicles, and the practical consequences of the new conditions were raised. In the officers’ view, the consultation gives no grounds for a fundamental change to the main proposals. The final draft is presented as a proportionate balance between protecting the public and a practical, sustainable framework for the trade. There are no financial issues in the report. Public safety remains the principal consideration.
The recommendation to full council:
"Adoption of the Policy provides a clear, transparent and consistent framework for the administration and enforcement of taxi and private hire licensing in Pembrokeshire. It introduces updated licence conditions that are consistent with Welsh Government guidance and will better prepare the taxi trade in Pembrokeshire should a Wales Taxi Bill be progressed."