Update issued at 2pm.
Members of The Highland Council today supported the Chief Officer Legal and Governance’s decision to refer the Licensing Committee decision made on 23 June 2026 in relation to David Brown to a Special Meeting of the Council, describing the action as “unprecedented” and “justified.”
Members were due to further consider the decision taken by the Licensing Committee to take no action in relation to two taxi operator’s licences held by David Brown.
However, the licences were surrendered by Mr Brown yesterday (Monday 3 August 2026), meaning there was no legal basis to consider the decision by the Licensing Committee today.
Instead, Members supported the following Motion and Amendment raised by Convener, Cllr Bill Lobban, and the Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Alasdair Christie.
"This Council supports the decision of the Chief Officer Legal and Governance to bring the decision taken by Licensing Committee on 23 June 2026 to a special meeting of the Highland Council for further consideration. The surrender of these licences today (3 August 2026) means that they immediately ceased to have effect and consequently there is no decision for the special Council to reach today. We nevertheless wish it to be made known that this unprecedented action was justified. Additionally, Council agrees that a letter be sent requesting the Scottish Government to review the rules, regulations and eligibility criteria for convicted criminals both incarcerated and released to be granted licences associated with the taxi industry.”
The Convener, Leader of the Council, and Leader of the Opposition also confirmed their intention at September’s meeting of The Highland Council to bring forward a Motion of No Confidence in the following members: Cllr Sean Kennedy, Cllr Chris Birt, Cllr John Grafton, Cllr Ruraidh Stewart, and Cllr Duncan MacPherson.
In a public statement read out in the Chamber, the Convener added: “Today sees the culmination of a quite disturbing episode in this Council’s history. Having weighed up and considered the information available from both licence holder and the objector, I find the decision - taken by a majority vote of the licencing committee to continue to take no action on two licences issued to David Brown - incomprehensible and, in my own personal opinion, shameful.
"I, and many other Members, have been disturbed and upset by the original decision and I have every confidence that had we been given the opportunity today we would have seen a totally different outcome.
"Clearly, we as a Council must reconsider how we deal with licencing within the boundaries of the law and those discussions will be ongoing as a matter of urgency.
"Members, it is important we remember at the heart of this matter, there is a victim. I fear at times there may have been a lack of attention or focus on them in recent weeks. Our sympathies lie with the victim in this case and the significant stress that the consequences of the original decision will ultimately have on them.”