FIVE cabbies are to go before Darlington's licensing committee next week to find out whether they will be allowed to keep their taxi licences.

Three of the five will appear before the council's committee, next Wednesday, because they have not passed a taxi driving test, which the council requires.

In 2002, Darlington Borough Council introduced a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) test which cabbies had to pass to qualify for a licence.

Taxi drivers challenged this, but in November last year, the High Court, in London, said Darlington council was acting legally.

Joseph Price, 52, of Dickinson Street, Brian Foster, 45, of Jedburgh Drive, and Malcolm Kaye, of Carmel Road North, all in Darlington, will appear before the committee to renew their licences, although they have not passed their DSA tests.

Last year, Mr Kaye made the headlines when union Amicus took his case against the DSA test to the High Court. However, the council won the case.

Angela Spence, who works for United Taxis, will also appear before the committee.

In September, a disabled woman told the council that Ms Spence, who has a clean licence and no convictions, refused to take her fare, saying the wheelchair was too big to fit in the back of her car.

Ms Spence was driving a Ford Focus, not her usual car, - and said she had problems with another wheelchair earlier in the day.

However, it has been discovered that the wheelchair folds up and would have fitted in the Focus.

Wayne Buckle, 37, of Holgate Moor Green, Darlington, will also appear, because he was caught speeding in a temporary speed limit, in November, but failed to declare the conviction to the council.