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, 18 February 2020 at 10.00 am.

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

Claire McArthur, Principal Solicitor – Regulatory Services
(for Head of Corporate 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 14 January 2020.

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

There is circulated Report No HLC/012/20  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 19 December 2019 to 5 February 2020.

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/013/20 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:

1. 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
2. to a future meeting of the Committee when the applications will be determined in terms of the Hearings Procedure.

6.  Review of taxi tariff 2019/2020
Ath-bhreithneachadh air Taraif Tagsaidh 2019/20

There is circulated Report No HLC/014/20 by the Principal Solicitor advising of the responses received following public advertisement of the proposed revised scale of the maximum fares that can be charged by taxis and private hire cars fitted with taxi meters.

The Committee are invited to:

(i) consider the representations received following advertisement of the proposed tariff, all other further information before it and any submission which any taxi operator attending the meeting may make to the Committee at the meeting and thereafter agree a final tariff,

(ii) agree that any revised tariff will take effect from 30 April 2020, subject to any appeal being lodged as per 8.1 of the report.

7.  Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
Taxi and Private Hire Car Licensing 
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Ceadachdan Tagsaidh is Chàraichean Prìobhaideach air Mhàl

There is circulated Report No HLC/015/20 by the Principal Solicitor on a request from a member of the public querying whether he may make a taxi or private hire car licence application in respect of a tuk tuk.

The Committee are invited to:

1. note the initial consultation carried out with the Council’s Transport team and with Police Scotland; and
2. consider whether they are satisfied, in principle, that a tuk tuk is suitable in type, size and design for use as a taxi or PHC and is safe for that use.

8.  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.

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

9.1  Application for private hire car driver’s licence – Gary Devlin

There is circulated to members only Report No HLC/016/20 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Gary Devlin for the grant of a private hire car driver’s licence (Inverness Millburn Ward).

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

10.  Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 
Second hand vehicle dealer’s licences
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982
Iarrtas airson caochladh air ceadachdan luchd-malairt ath-làimhe

10.1    Second hand vehicle dealer’s licence – Lauren Miller

There is circulated to members only Report No HLC/017/20 by the Principal Solicitor relating to Lauren Miller the holder of a second hand vehicle dealer’s licence in respect of Unit 12c, Beechwood Road, Evanton (Ward 6 - Cromarty Firth).

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