Report on Advertising 10 Feb' Meeting

1.0 Purpose

1.1 To consider the current policy on advertising in and on hackney carriages and extending the Policy to cover Private Hire Vehicles.

2.0 Background

2.1 Sheffield City Council Hackney Carriage Bye law 3 allows the Licensee of Hackney Carriage vehicles to place advertisements in and on their vehicles, only after gaining written consent from the Licensing Section.

3.0 The current position

3.1 The Council does permit advertising on the exterior of hackney carriages and also on the tip-up seats. The criteria set by the Board at its meeting on 7th June 2005 extended the policy to cover digital media.

3.2 The Policy allows Officers to grant consents to advertise on the exterior/interior of Hackney Carriages Vehicles provide that –

• the safety of the vehicle is not affected;
• the appearance of the vehicle is not adversely affected;
• the advertisement will not cause offence;
• a copy of the draft contract to advertise is submitted;
• in the case of digital media adverts a full copy of the adverts are supplied, and approved prior to the installation;

The Council reserves the right not to approve advertisements for any goods or services e.g. alcohol, tobacco products.

3.3 Officers only receive a request. If an Officer gets request in that is outside the agreed policy the application is referred to the Licensing Board for determination.

3.4 Hackney Carriage Licensees use the placing of adverts on/in their vehicles to enhance their income.

3.5 Currently there is no policy in place for private hire vehicles to allow licensees to place any notices or advertisements in or on their vehicles. A Private Hire Vehicle may only carry the operators trading name on the front doors supplied by the Operator and the rear door stickers as provided by the Licensing Section.

3.6 There have been some enquiries by Private Hire Vehicles Licensees asking for permission to have adverts in or on their vehicles.


4.0 Consultation

4.1 The draft report was circulated at the latest consultation meeting held on 27th January 2009.

4.2 The trades were invited to attend this meeting.


5.0 Options

5.1 Members extend the Policy to allow advertisements to be placed in or on Private Hire Vehicles. If members do extend the Policy, give authority to the Assistant Chief Executive Legal & Governance to make the necessary changes to the conditions of a private hire vehicle licence to reflect this.

5.2 Members make no changes to the current policy and only allow adverts in or on Hackney Carriages after complying with the consent procedure.

5.3 Members authorise the setting of a fee to cover the cost associated with the administration and enforcement of the system. A proposed fee of £10 per consent is suggested to be reviewed annually.

6.0 Recommendation

6.1 That members consider the information detailed above and any representations that may be made and determine whether to permit advertising in/on all licensed vehicles.



10th February 2009

might as well go the whole hog and put a "TAXI" sign on them all. More blurring of distinction of the two trader IMO.