Minutes of Meeting of the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee held in the Council Chambers, Lochaber House, High Street, Fort William on Tuesday, 18 December 2007 at 11.00am.

 

Present:

Mr Brendan Gormley

Mr Allan Henderson

Mr Brian Murphy

 

Present via Video Conference Link:

Mrs Margaret Paterson 

Mrs Angela MacLean

Mr David Alston

 

In Attendance:

Mr Alaisdair H MacKenzie,  Area Solicitor

Mr Archie Lang, TEC Services (Environmental Health)

Mrs Julie Traynor, Chief Executive’s Office

 

(In the Chair - Mrs Margaret Paterson)

 

Declarations of Interest – None declared. 

 

The Area Solicitor advised the Meeting that in accordance with Standing Orders,  Video Conferencing facilities would be used during the Meeting which would link those Members of the Committee present with other Members in the Council Offices in Dingwall.

 

1.           Apologies for Absence

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr Drew Miller,  Mr Craig Fraser, Mr John Lang, Mr Richard Greene and Mrs Jean Urquhart.

 

2.           Confirmation of Minutes

 

There had been circulated for confirmation, the Minutes of Meeting of the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee held on 20 November 2007.

 

The Minutes were held as read and approved.

 

3.           Application for Variation to Market Operator’s Licence Conditions: Scorpion Markets

 

The Committee noted that at its Meeting held on 16 November 2007 the above application had been deferred to allow a hearing to be convened to consider the letters of objection/representation which had been received in respect of the application.

 

There was circulated Report LCR-017-07 by the Area Solicitor which invited members to determine whether to vary the conditions attached to Mr Iqbal’s Market Operator’s Licence and allow the Market to permanently relocate from Car Park No. 1, An Aird, Fort William to Cameron Square/High Street, Fort William.

 

The Area Solicitor addressed the Meeting during which he advised that a letter had been received from the applicant’s Agents, Messrs MacArthur Stewart advising that their client was unable to be present at the Hearing as he had suffered a family bereavement and had to return to Pakistan.  The Committee noted that the Applicant’s Agent had requested an adjournment of the application to allow his client an opportunity to appear in person before the Committee.

 

During discussion the Committee noted from the Area Solicitor that there had been preliminary discussions with a view to identifying an alternative site for the Market and that should a fresh application be received, the above application would then fall.

 

Arising therefrom, the Committee agreed in the meantime to adjourn consideration of the above application to allow the applicant an opportunity to attend the hearing in person and that the Area Solicitor should liaise with the Chairman to arrange an alternative date for the Hearing.

 

There being no further business, the Meeting concluded at 11.10 am.