Taxi drivers in Shropshire could soon be permitted to fly the Union Flag following a furore over the current rules.
The council's strategic licensing committee is to debate whether the council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023-2027 should be changed to allow drivers to display the flag on taxis and private hire vehicles.
The meeting will discuss the issue next Thursday (January 11) at 10am.
It comes after a row last November, when North Shropshire Veteran John Brockhurst, who runs 'Basil's Taxi' in Market Drayton, was told to remove the St George's Cross and the Union Flag from his car.
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Councillor Roy Aldcroft, chair of the strategic licensing committee, said: “We want to ensure that the public and the trade are aware that the Strategic Licensing Committee is due to consider the conditions under which it may be acceptable to display and use the Union Flag.
"If approved, a change will be made to the council’s current position, as was previously agreed by cabinet in November 2022, and set out in the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023 – 2027.
“The over-riding priority for the committee is that we ensure the safety and welfare of the public. However, we understand that there are some concerns about the council’s current position and for that reason we will be debating the issue at our meeting on 11 January.”
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