Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council, said Baroness Casey's report had highlighted weaknesses in the licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles as a factor in the sexual exploitation of children. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander this week said the Government was taking licensing 'very seriously' after Baroness Casey identified 'many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation' as having links with taxis. Baroness Casey's review warned how legal loopholes allowed drivers to be licensed in one authority but operating in others, undermining the ability for local councils to monitor drivers and protect the public. "The Department for Transport should close this loophole immediately and introduce more rigorous standards,” she added. Last month Tipton and Wednesbury MP told the Commons that 96 of taxi licences nationally were issued in Wolverhampton, yet only 10 per cent of applicants lived there. The council says that under current law it did not have the power to refuse applications for taxi licences on the grounds that they were from outside the city. Councillor Bennett said the council had shown ingenuity in developing a modern licensing system, which meant licences were processed more efficiently than elsewhere in the country. But he said national loopholes had left the public exposed. "Even the best efforts by individual councils cannot overcome a system that permits out-of-area licensing on such a scale," he said. Councillor Bennett's motion urges the council to carry out an internal audit of the its licensing data and safeguarding practices since 2015, and prepare to hand it over to the Government's forthcoming national inquiry. He called for the establishment of a cross-party review of the council’s licensing regime, with a specific focus on children’s safeguarding and compliance, and to report its findings and recommendations within six months. He asked council leader Councillor Stephen Simkins to write to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander,, urging the Government to urgently close the out-of-area licensing loophole, and introduce mandatory national licensing standards and enforcement powers. Councillor Bennett also called for a review of the council’s licensing fee structure and processing model, particularly in relation to non-resident applicants, to ensure it remained robust, proportionate, and focused on public protection. "Safeguarding children is not just a statutory duty, it is a moral imperative," he said. "Equally, hundreds of law-abiding drivers licensed by this council rely on a fair and trusted system. It is therefore essential that this council moves urgently to review and improve its processes, reassure the public, and uphold its duty of care." A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said public safety was the council's number one priority when it came to taxi licensing, and welcomed any measures or changes to the law that would help tackle this issue. “We lead the way nationally on using technology to help with safeguarding, including being the only council to do daily checks on all drivers and the first council to offer driver licence checks by smartphone," he said. The spokesman added that the authority fully complied with all government guidance, and had officers out every Friday and Saturday night ensuring that standards were maintained. “We again stress that it is illegal for the council to refuse applicants a taxi licence on the basis of where they live. Under the current law, applicants can apply to any licensing authority. “It is also illegal for us to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences issued. “We do not gain financially from taxi licensing, as the fees are legally ringfenced for spend only on related activities.” Councillor Bennett's motion will be considered at a meeting of the council on Wednesday next week.