Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mary-Jean Devon, Lorna Douglas, George Freeman and Sandy Taylor.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report by Head of Governance and Law

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.  He then outlined the procedure that would be followed and invited the Applicants to speak in support of their application.

APPLICANT

Mr Henry advised that he was Co-Director of Tartan Tours along with his colleague Gordon MacGillivray.  He said that he had 30 years background with Strathclyde Police and was latterly an Inspector in Argyll and Bute.  Subsequently he worked for Argyll and Bute Council and was now running a bed and breakfast.  He advised that Mr MacGillivray has held at Street Trader’s Licence for 18 years and operates MacGillivray’s Seafood in Oban.  Mr Henry advised that they wished to proceed with this application to operate a taxi business from Oban pier.  They wished to offer a taxi service and tours for tourists.  He confirmed that their vehicle was wheelchair accessible.  He said that they were hoping to operate a taxi service and tour service, providing trips for the local area.   He said that they also hoped to provide trips, tours and visits for disabled people from care homes and hospitals.  He advised that their vehicle was a Citroen Berlingo which had a ramp at the rear and an electronic winch which would facilitate a disabled person in a wheelchair.  He advised that there was also sufficient space in the car for a carer and the driver.  He advised that they have already received an enquiry from the NHS to provide a trip for a disabled person to the shops and that they had not been in a position to do that at the moment.  He said that it was their intention to provide these types of trips at the rank and also through the use of social media and from knocking on doors and making contacts.  He advised that if this proposal was successful then he and Mr MacGillivray would apply for Taxi Driver’s Licences so that they could drive the vehicle themselves.  He advised that they would also look to employ ex Police Officers as drivers, commenting that they would be honest, reliable and presentable.

Mr MacGillivray said that they were basically looking to provide a service for people who could not get about.  He advised that they could give a tour of a castle or take them to the city and then wait on them and then take them back to the hospital or their care home.  He said that if they got more successful they would look to buy a bigger vehicle with more seats so that they could bring their friends.  Mr Henry advised that this was one aspect of their proposal and the other was to offer a service to the general public as from his own observations he believed there were only two other vehicles with disabled access in the area.

Mr MacGillivray advised that he has had this car for four years and that it had been bought by his Uncle so that he could be taken him about.  He advised that he had also taken his friends out and that there had been a big demand for this and they had enjoyed getting out and about.  Mr MacGillivray advised that he had first set up Tartan Tours as a business four years ago but his car had been stolen and he did not have the money to put another on the road.  He advised that now he was in business with Mr Henry he wanted to re-establish this business.  He advised that he still had the website for the business from when it was first set up and that he still got comments and queries on it.

MEMBERS’ QUESTIONS

Councillor Trail referred to the clientele the Applicants were aiming at and suggested that he did not think their customers would be at the taxi rank.  He asked why they were applying for a Taxi Licence rather than a Private Hire Licence.  Mr Henry explained that the business would be dual purpose.  He said that there would be a limited amount of disabled people attracted to the business.  He advised that they wanted to be available to the general public as well as tourists.

Councillor Redman asked if they saw their business bringing extra business to the shops.  Mr Henry advised that one of their provisions would be to advertise through Visit Scotland and Airbnb.   He advised that from his own personal experience when going abroad he was always looking for experiences in the area.  He advised that they also knew from their own observations that there was not much in the way of land based tours in the Oban area.  He said that he thought their business would be a way of attracting more people to the area.

Councillor Colville referred to the Applicants mentioning that they would work from the rank.  He indicated that the Council were in the process of carrying out a new survey to gauge the demand for taxis.  He advised that he was not convinced from what had been said that there was the demand for another taxi on the rank and he asked the Applicants to comment.  Mr Henry referred to business in Oban being seasonal and that the tours would only last a few months of the year and that they intended offering a service 12 months of the year.  From the tours point of view, he advised that from talking to Visit Scotland there was a lack of provision to come in off the street and organise a tour and that they wanted to be in a handy position to do that.

Councillor Colville asked Mr MacGillivray what size his previous vehicle was.  Mr MacGillivray advised that it was a four seater and that he had a very successful first year just doing trips to and from McCaig’s Tower.

Councillor McCuish commented that he remembered these trips to the tower being extremely popular.  He asked if it was the case that the Applicants were requesting a Taxi Licence in order to subsidise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.