Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Highland Licensing Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Tuesday, 7 May 2024 at 1130 hours.

You are invited to attend and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

Members are reminded that during determination of Licensing Items, in order to be entitled to participate in any vote, Members must be present throughout all of the proceedings.

Members are further reminded that mobile devices, including mobile phones, can be used for following the agenda/reports and delivering speeches but should not be used for any form of communication (text or tweet) during the meeting.

Yours faithfully

Iain Meredith, Acting Principal Solicitor – Regulatory Services (for Head of Legal and Governance)

Business

1. Apologies for absence / Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of interest / Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Confirmation of minutes / Dearbhadh a’ gheàrr-chunntais

There is submitted for confirmation as a correct record the minute of the meeting of the Highland Licensing Committee held on 26 March 2024.

4. Licences granted under delegated powers / Ceadachdan a bhuilicheadh fo ùghdarras air a thiomnadh

There is circulated Report No HLC/032/24 by the Principal Solicitor which details all Licences which have been granted under delegated powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 granted in the period from 14 March 2024 to 24 April 2024.

The Committee is invited to note the report.

4.1 Short Term Let Licences granted under delegated powers / Ceadachd Aontaidhean Màil Geàrr-ùine Ceadachdan a bhuilicheadh fo ùghdarras air a thiomnadh

There is circulated Report No HLC/033/24 by the Principal Solicitor which details all Short Term Let Licences which have been granted under delegated powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 granted in the period from 14 March 2024 to 24 April 2024.

The Committee is invited to note the report.

5. Pending applications – 3 monthly considerations / Iarrtasan ri thighinn – beachdachaidhean 3 mìosach

There is circulated Report No HLC/034/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to applications which are currently pending for the grant or renewal of licences under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

The Report recommends that the Committee agree to defer the determination of the applications, either:

(a) to allow them to be approved under delegated powers in the event that no objections/representations    are received and all outstanding documentation has been received from the applicants; or
(b) to a future meeting of the Committee when the applications will be determined in terms of the Hearings Procedure.

5.1 Short Term Let Pending applications – 3 monthly considerations / Ceadachd Aontaidhean Màil Geàrr-ùine Iarrtasan ri thighinn – beachdachaidhean 3 mìosach

There is circulated Report No HLC/035/24 by the Principal Solicitor outlining the Short Term Let applications which are currently pending for the grant or renewal of licences under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

6. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Review of taxi tariff 2024/2025
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ath-bhreithneachadh air Taraif Tagsaidh 2024/2025

There is circulated Report No HLC/036/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to the statutory requirement to undertake, and complete, a review of the Council’s taxi tariff within 18 months of the current tariff coming into effect.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. consider the information contained in the report and any further submissions made to the Committee by taxi operators attending the meeting and then agree a draft tariff for public consultation; and
ii. agree that an advertisement be placed in the Press & Journal (Highland Edition) detailing the Licensing Committees proposal in relation to the maximum rates of fares in respect of taxi and private hire car licensing (where the private hire cars are fixed with taxi meters) and inviting representations.

7. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Taxi driver’s / operator’s licences
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ceadachdan Dhràibhearan / Oibrichean Tagsaidh

7.1 Application for a taxi driver’s licence – John Gallacher

There is circulated Report No HLC/037/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to Mr John Gallacher who is the holder of a taxi driver’s licence (Ward 22 – Fort William and Ardnamurchan).

The Committee is invited to determine this matter in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

8. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Private hire car driver’s / operator’s licences
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Iarrtasan airson ceadachdan do dhràibhearan / oibrichean chàraichean airson fastadh prìobhaideach

8.1 Application for a private hire car operator’s licence – Hamdi Ahmad

There is circulated Report No HLC/038/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Hamdi Ahmad for a private hire car operator’s licence (Ward 16 – Inverness Millburn).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

9. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Market operator licence
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Cead obraiche margaidh

9.1 Premises – Wildwoodz Activity Park, Littleburn, By Munlochy, IV8 8PE

There is circulated Report No HLC/039/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application for the renewal of a market operator licence for Wildwoodz Activity Park by Exclusively Highlands (Ward 9 – Black Isle).

The Committee is invited to determine this matter in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

10. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Short Term Let licensing
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ceadachd Aontaidhean Màil Geàrr-ùine

10.1 Application for grant of a short term let licence – Loch Ness Hideaway, Craigwell, 1 West Lewiston, Drumnadrochit, IV63 6UW

There is circulated Report No HLC/040/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Stewart Thomas Dickison for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 12 - Aird and Loch Ness).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

10.2 Application for grant of a short term let licence – School Hill Croft, School Brae, Dornoch, IV25 3PF

There is circulated Report No HLC/041/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Gareth Townend for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 04 : East Sutherland and Edderton).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

10.3 Application for grant of a short term let licence – 23 Caledonia Place, Aviemore, PH22 1NW

There is circulated Report No HLC/042/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Colin Alasdair Maciver for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 20 - Badenoch and Strathspey).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

10.4 Application for grant of a short term let licence – An Cabar, 38 Corbett Place, Aviemore, PH22 1NZ

There is circulated Report No HLC/043/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Gareth Townend for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 20 : Badenoch and Strathspey).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

11. The Committee is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following Items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

12. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Taxi driver’s / operator’s licences
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ceadachdan Dhràibhearan / Oibrichean Tagsaidh

12.1 Application for a taxi driver’s licence – Robert Watson

There is circulated to members only Report No HLC/044/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to a taxi driver’s application which has been received from Mr Robert Watson. (Ward 22 – Fort William and Ardnamurchan area).

The Committee is invited to determine this matter in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

12.2 Application for a taxi driver’s licence – David Toth

There is circulated to members only Report No HLC/045/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to a taxi driver’s application which has been received from Mr David Toth. (Ward 9 – Black Isle area).

The Committee is invited to determine this matter in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

13. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 
Private hire car driver’s / operator’s licences
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Iarrtasan airson ceadachdan do dhràibhearan / oibrichean chàraichean airson fastadh prìobhaideach

13.1 Application for a private hire car operator’s licence – Thomas Swan

There is circulated to members only Report No HLC/046/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Thomas Swan for a private hire car operator’s licence (Ward 02 – Thurso and Northwest Caithness).

The Committee is invited to determine this application in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.

14. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Short Term Let licensing
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ceadachd Aontaidhean Màil Geàrr-ùine

14.1 Application for grant of short term let licence – Badnaheen, Altnabreac, Halkirk, KW12 6UR

There is circulated to Members only Report No HLC/047/24 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application for the grant of a short term let licence in respect of Badnaheen, Altnabreac, Halkirk, KW12 6UR (Ward 03 – Wick and East Caithness).

The Committee is invited to determine this matter in accordance with the Council’s Hearings Procedure.