Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Daniel Hampsey, Mark Irvine, Andrew Kain and Paul Kennedy.

There were no declarations of interest.

a)    The Minute of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee held on 20 December 2023 was approved as a correct record.

b)    The Minute of the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee held on 16 January 2024 was approved as a correct record.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

A report providing information to Members to enable them to consider whether they wish to commission a further survey in relation to unmet demand for taxis within the local authority area was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the contents of the report;

2.    to instruct Officers to commission a new taxi survey for the Helensburgh and Lomond administrative area;

3.    that going forward in the other administrative areas (Bute and Cowal, Oban, Lorn and the Isles, and Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands) that there would be no regard taken to the existing taxi surveys when considering applications for taxi car/operator licences; and

4.    that no further survey be carried out in respect of private hire cars at this time as the last surveys concluded that there was not an over provision of private hire cars as a whole.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 12 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

A report updating Members on preparations for the renewal of licences granted under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, as well as inviting Members to approve the revision of the respective fees and conditions which apply to these licences, was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note and approve the contents of the report; and

2.    recommend to Council –

a)    that fees for all Civic Government licences be increased as detailed in Appendix 1; and

b)    that licences currently subject to a fixed three year period and due for renewal in June 2024 continue to be granted on that basis.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 6 December 2023, submitted)

Councillor Dougie Philand joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan and LDP2 aim to reverse population decline and promote economically driven growth across Argyll and Bute.  Notwithstanding many strengths and opportunities throughout Argyll and Bute, the only two areas that can potentially deliver and sustain growth of any significant size, particularly in terms of population are Oban and its hinterland, and Helensburgh and Lomond.

A report outlining the preliminary progress to date in developing the Frameworks, and that a resource request is made to Policy and Resources Committee to drive forward these tasks was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to

1.    note the contents of the paper; and

2.    endorse the resource requests to be made to Policy and Resources Committee to assist in driving forward the Strategic Development Frameworks.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 24 January 2024, submitted)