A TAXI firm has lost its licence after obtaining plates for some of its cars from another local authority.

Darlington Borough Council revoked private hire firm Ace Cars' operating licence after councillors ruled that the firm was jeopardising public safety by licensing some of its taxis with Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council.

But Berwick council insisted that its licence conditions were equally high and were based on Darlington's standards.

At yesterday's licensing committee, licensing and parking manger Pam Ross told councillors that Darlington would only licence vehicles older than six years if they were in "pristine" condition and checked twice a year.

Vehicles older than three years must have their licences renewed annually for them to keep their plates.

She said that the two cars licensed by Ace Cars with Berwick were more than three years old and officers were concerned because they were not subject to checks every six months.

Patricia Mason, who owns Ace Cars, told the meeting she had licensed two of the taxis in Berwick after their licences had lapsed.

She had not been able to afford the repairs to bring them up to standard and the cars had been taken off the road.

When she could afford to licence them, she was forced to go to Berwick because of Darlington's policy not to give an initial licence to cars older than three years. She said that both cars had new engines and new interiors to bring them up to Berwick's standards.

She said she had people who had been working for her for more than five years.

"If you take away the operating licence, many of them will be out of a job," she added.

Councillor Isobel Hartley, committee chairwoman, said the committee was concerned the difference in requirements could affect public safety.

"We are very, very concerned that you are putting vehicles and drivers on the road which are of a lower standard than the high one demanded in Darlington."

A spokesman from Berwick council said while they could not comment on this case specifically, standards applied by Berwick were based on those set by Darlington.

He said: "We do not accept that any council's conditions are higher than our own, although they many be different. It is the end result that is important - ensuring that the public are protected - rather than how it is achieved."