Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 17 December 2025
Back to Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee — 17 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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MINUTES of MEETING of PLANNING, PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND LICENSING COMMITTEE held BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on WEDNESDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2025 Present: Councillor Gordon Blair (Chair) Councillor John Armour Councillor Kieron Green Councillor Graham Hardie Councillor Fiona Howard Councillor Andrew Kain Councillor Dougie Philand Attending: Stuart McLean, Committee Manager David Walker, Solicitor 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jan Brown, Audrey Forrest, Amanda Hampsey, Daniel Hampsey, Mark Irvine, Paul Kennedy, Liz McCabe and Peter Wallace. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. 3. CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982: APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF TAXI CAR LICENCE (J ROBERTSON, APPIN) The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. In line with recent legislation for Civic Government Hearings, the parties (and any representatives) were given the options for participating in the meeting today. The options available were by video call, by audio call or by written submission. For this hearing Applicant opted to proceed by way of written submission and a copy of this was contained within the Agenda pack for this hearing. The hearing procedure that would be followed was noted and in the absence of the Applicant the Chair invited the Committee Manager to read out the written submission. APPLICANT My name is James Robertson and my hearing for the application for grant of a Taxi car licence is on the 17/12/25 at 2.30pm. I would prefer to include a written representation as follows. I have held a Private Hire Taxi Licence for the last few years. I am the only taxi operating out in the Appin area. I feel that it would benefit, not only my own business, but customers as well, if I was granted a Taxi Car Licence. A lot of my business involves taxi hires from the Appin area into Oban. As I am a Private Hire Taxi, I very rarely can pick up another hire in town as I cannot join the rank. It would benefit me greatly if I had a Taxi licence as I could spend some time on the rank after dropping my hire off instead of having to return to Appin without any more hires.
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I also still see a need for more taxi coverage at the 11pm to 1am time slot. There still would appear to be a lack of taxi operating at that time of night and also very early mornings. DEBATE Councillor Hardie said that the written submission was straightforward and honest and although he did not know the area well, he believed what had been stated and that he would be happy to support the application. Councillor Green commented that it was a fair distance from Appin into Oban and it may be someone would be looking for a lift there and back to attend an appointment. He said he would be happy to approve the application as this would allow the Applicant to pick up other work in town while he waited to return to Appin. Councillor Howard agreed with Councillor Hardie and Councillor Green. She commented that the Applicant was currently working at a disadvantage as a Private Hire Operator compared to Taxi Operators living closer to the town centre. She confirmed that she would support the application. Councillor Blair said it would be good to have another Taxi Operator in the area and that granting this licence would allow the Applicant to take on other work while he was in town. He advised that on that basis he would be happy to grant the licence. DECISION The Committee unanimously agreed to grant a Taxi Car Licence to Mr Robertson and noted that he would receive written confirmation of this within 7days. (Reference: Report by Head of Legal and Regulatory Support, submitted)