The Licensing Sub-Committee of Aberdeenshire Council met on Friday 12 June 2026 and approved minor revisions to the policy on advertising and signage for taxis and private hire cars. The committee also agreed that a public consultation on these changes was not necessary and authorised the immediate implementation of the revised policy.

Review of Policy on Advertising and the Use of Signage

The committee approved minor revisions to the council's policy on advertising and the use of signage on taxis and private hire cars. The changes aim to clarify the existing policy, making it clearer which rules apply to taxis and which apply to private hire cars, and to address minor gaps in previous wording.

Morag Stevenson, Principal Solicitor, introduced the report, explaining that the adjustments were small and did not alter the policy's core objectives. Councillor John Gifford commented that the inclusion of track changes in policy documents was helpful and that the proposed changes clarified the situation well. He was content for the policy to be implemented without further consultation. Councillor Marion Ewenson agreed, stating that the changes were primarily tidying up and making the policy clearer, and that a consultation would likely yield low responses due to the minor nature of the revisions. Councillor Richard Menard also expressed satisfaction with the report, noting its clarity and well-put-together nature.

The committee unanimously agreed to:

• Approve the terms of the draft revised policy.
• Agree that a public consultation exercise was not necessary due to the minor but important nature of the adjustments.
• Agree an immediate implementation date.
• Authorise the publication of the policy on the council's website.

The revised policy will be published on the council's website, and guidance for taxi and private hire car operators will be updated accordingly. The enforcement procedures, which remain unchanged from those adopted in 2021, are detailed in the revised policy. The policy aligns with the council's values and the Scottish Government's commitment to reducing alcohol-related harm, as it retains provisions that regulate alcohol-related advertising. The report noted that an Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) was not required as the proposed changes were not expected to have a differential impact on any protected characteristics.

The meeting then moved into private session to consider confidential business.