Lengthy taxi report compared to Harry Potter saga

Tackling the Harry Potter books would be easier than digesting a new report into an authority's taxi and private hire licensing policy, a councillor has claimed.

Mahmood Hussain compared the report to JK Rowling's multi-volume fantasy epic - more than 4,000 pages long - at a meeting of Luton Borough Council.

The Labour councillor, who represents Farley ward, said members would need time to peruse the taxi policy document, which runs to hundreds of pages.

But he said it was necessary because "public safety is paramount", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

According to the report, the borough's taxi and private hire policy had developed in a piecemeal fashion since 2018.

The administration and regulation committee was told the updated version reflected latest Department for Transport guidance.

Recommendations include drivers facing background checks every six months and "good character" certificates for applicants who have spent an extended period outside the UK.

Tony Ireland, the council's head of public protection, told the committee: "This was an opportunity with the new best practice guidance from the government to have a fresh policy, which hopefully is easier to read and understand."

Councillors agreed to return the report to the committee before recommending it for approval.

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