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, 24 February 2026 at 11am.

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 CO Legal & 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 13 January 2026.

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

There is circulated Report No HLC/16/26 by the Principal Solicitor which details all Licences which have been determined under delegated powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 for the period from 17 December 2025 to 11 February 2026.

The Committee is invited to note the report.

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

There is circulated Report No HLC/17/26 by the Principal Solicitor which details all Short Term Let Licences which have been determined under delegated powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 for the period from 16 December 2025 to 11 February 2026.

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/18/26 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/19/26 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. 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 item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

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

7.1 Taxi driver’s licence – Rahath Rahman

There is circulated to Members only Report No HLC/20/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to Rahath Rahman who is the holder of a taxi driver’s licence (Ward 13 – Inverness West).

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

7.2 Taxi operator’s licence – Rahath Rahman

There is circulated to Members only Report No HLC/21/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to Rahath Rahman who is the holder of a taxi operator’s licence (Ward 13 – Inverness West).

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

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

8.1 Application for grant of a short term let licence – Bla Bheinn, 9 Upper Breakish, Isle of Skye, IV42 8PY

There is circulated to Members only Report No HLC/22/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mrs Laura Seidel for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 10 – Ross and Skye).

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

9. Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 Private landlord registration
Achd Dol A-mach Mì-shòisealta (Alba) 2004 Clàradh Uachdarain Phrìobhaidich

9.1 Application for renewal of registration in the register of private landlords – William Henry Parsons

There is circulated to Members only No HLC/23/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application for the renewal of a private landlord registration by William Henry Parsons (Ward 7 – Tain and Easter Ross).

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

10. The Committee will return to public proceedings for the following items.

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

11.1 Application for a taxi driver’s licence – Martin MacKinnon  

There is circulated Report No HLC/24/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Martin MacKinnon for a taxi driver’s licence (Ward 21 – Fort William and Ardnamurchan).

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

12. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Public Entertainment Licence
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982 Ceadachdan Aoigheachd Phoblaich 

12.1 Premises: Newtonmore Village Hall, Main Street, Newtonmore

There is circulated Report No HLC/25/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application for the renewal of a public entertainment licence for Newtonmore Village Hall (Ward 20 – Badenoch & Strathspey).

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

13. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Late hours catering licence
Achd Riaghaltais Chatharra (Alba) 1982 Ceadachdan Solarachaidh Uairean Anmoch

13.1 Premises: Pepe’s Piri Piri, 33 Harbour Road, Inverness

There is circulated Report No HLC/26/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application for the grant of a late hours catering licence for Pepe’s Piri Piri by JA Food Ltd (Ward 16 – Inverness Millburn). 

The Committee is invited to determine this matter 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 a short term let licence – Units at the rear of 112-114 Academy Street, Inverness, IV1 1LX

There is circulated Report No HLC/27/26 by the Principal Solicitor relating to an application which has been received from Mr Donald MacLean for the grant of a short term let licence (Ward 14 – Inverness Central).

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

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

There is circulated Report No HLC/28/26 by the Principal Solicitor which seeks to allow the Committee to amend the Council’s existing short term let licensing policy statement in order to provide further information on the operation of the licensing scheme, particularly in terms of the renewal of a licence, and to update the policy statement to reflect the practices which have developed as the licensing scheme has evolved.  

The Committee is invited to approve:-

i. the changes made to the STL licensing policy as contained within Appendix 1; and
ii. the continuation of their existing policy on temporary exemptions to requiring an STL licence, namely that they will not be granted under any circumstances and that the position will be kept under review.