Grant of a Taxi Operator Licence - TBA11
Perth and Kinross Council · 13 April 2026
Back to Licensing Committee — 13 April 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL – LICENSING COMMITTEE 13 APRIL 2026 REPORT BY STRATEGIC LEAD - LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE TYPE OF APPLICATION Grant of a Taxi Operator Licence APPLICANT Perth Radio Taxis Ltd. 69 Scott Street, Perth, PH2 8JR PREMISES (if applicable) N/A THE APPLICATION Perth Radio Taxis Ltd has applied for a new Taxi Operator Licence in Perth City. The application was received on 3 December 2025. The vehicle requested to be licensed is a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV). The application was submitted outwith the Allocation Scheme for an additional 24 taxi operator licences previously approved by Licensing Committee on 15 December 2025. That scheme opened on 19 December 2025 and ended on 2 February 2026. RELEVANT LICENSING POLICIES On 6 October 2025 (Report 25/260 refers), the Licensing Committee accepted the findings of the unmet demand survey for Perth City, undertaken in 2024. The findings were that there is a significant unmet demand for taxi services in Perth City. At the same meeting the Committee agreed to increase the limit on taxi operator licences in Perth City by an additional 24 licences to address the established unmet demand for taxis. The Committee established an Allocation Scheme for those licences at its meeting on 15 December 2025 (report 25/357). Those licences have now all been allocated. Committee will be aware that the Scheme also required all licences under the Allocation Scheme to be WAVs and that a policy on non-transferability of those licences would be applied to them. BACKGROUND As set out in the section above, the Committee has a current policy position in relation to the issuing of taxi operator licences in Perth City agreed at its meeting on 6 October 2025. This policy is that an additional 24 licences will be issued in
Page 2
order to address the unmet demand that currently exists. Those licences have been allocated in line with the Allocation Scheme which: gives priority to applicants who do not hold a taxi operator licence or have any beneficial interest in one requires vehicles that are: o Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicles (WAV) o No more than 12 years old There is also a policy change to ensure that any new taxi plates issued under this scheme are returned to the Council for reallocation if no longer wanted or used. For any other applications for a taxi operator licence which are made for Perth City i.e. outwith the Allocation Scheme, there is currently no policy in relation to: Non-transferability of licences Type of vehicle LEGAL POSITION The application has been made outwith the Allocation Scheme agreed to by the Licensing Committee on 15 December 2025. The Committee is therefore required to consider the application as it cannot be granted under delegated powers as to do so would mean that the current limit on taxi numbers in Perth City would be exceeded. Under the 1982 Act, an application for a taxi licence may be refused for the purpose of limiting the number of taxis if, but only if, they are satisfied that there is no significant unmet demand for taxi services in Perth City. The Committee determined at its meeting on 6 October 2025 that the significant unmet demand for taxis would be met by issuing 24 more licences, which are now allocated. Therefore, the Committee will need to consider whether there is any new evidence available to it, including from the applicant, which indicates that there is now significant unmet demand which warrants granting further licences. The Committee is not obliged to refuse a licence application if there is no significant unmet demand – it may do so but is not required to. However, given that the Committee has recently agreed measures to address the unmet demand, members
Page 3
would require to carefully consider the reasons for granting further licences. OPTIONS The Committee needs to consider whether there is a basis on which to refuse the application. There are two bases on which an application could be refused. 1. An application may be refused if, under section 10(3), the Committee considers that there is no significant demand for taxi services which is unmet. 2. An application must be refused if under paragraph 5(3) of Schedule 1 of the Act, if there is other good reason for refusing the application. If the Committee does not consider that there is a basis for refusal, the Committee must grant the application. In granting an application, the Committee may also consider other matters: 1. It may determine the type of vehicle the licence will relate to. This could include a requirement that the vehicle will only be suitable if it is, for example, a WAV or electric/hybrid, under section 10(2) of the Act. 2. The Committee may also consider whether to extend the application of its policy made at the Licensing Committee on 15 December, with the effect that such licences will also be subject to a non-transferability policy in similar terms. PROCEDURE Identify parties. Consider any preliminary issues Applicant makes submission Committee asks any questions of the applicant Applicant sums up Committee makes decision