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Regulation latest act now before next year: SIA

DEADLINES FOR OFFICERS, DOOR STAFF

Businesses must act now to ensure they have reputable security staff in place by next year, says the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

This follows a survey by the authority which found that seven per cent of businesses in the London region were ‘not very confident' in their security solution. Commenting on the research, John Saunders , SIA Chief Executive, pictured said: “All businesses, irrespective of size or sector, need to make sure their premises and staff are protected by a trustworthy security provider. The potential cost of poor security doesn't bear considering, so businesses who are not confident with their security solution should take immediate steps to resolve it." The SIA adds that the research was done in March 2005 with a sample of 200 managing directors, financial directors and other senior managers of businesses with an annual turnover of more than £1m.

Guard firm progress
Initial Security reports it has fully licenced officers already, ahead of the March 2006 deadline for licences for contract security officers.

Sarah Brown , Support Services Director, Initial Security, says: “We are pleased to confirm that with 33pc of the time gone, we have completed 51pc of the required training, which puts us ahead of schedule and well on the way to providing our clients with a fully licensed security solution.” Initial adds that it aims to complete all required training by December 31. Guarding company Securiplan says it is committed to providing industry-leading training and ensuring that all officers have SIA licenses well before the introduction of the new standard. Steve Boyden, Group Managing Director of Securiplan PLC , says: “As a result, we are paying for each officer to obtain his or her SIA license and can confirm that officers will incur no costs at all unless they leave the company within the three year life of the license. If an officer leaves Securiplan before the license is due for renewal, we only require a contribution towards training costs that alters depending on the life remaining on his or her license.”

It's seven months since it became illegal to work as a door supervisor in the Midlands area without a new national licence from the SIA. Yet fewer than half of door supervisors in the area have applied for their licence .

Chris Sharp, SIA Head of Investigation for the Midlands said: “I am very disappointed with the response from door supervisors and licensees. There are pubs and clubs who are illegally employing unlicensed, untrained and un-vetted door staff. Not only could those individuals face prosecution but the venues face closure in the short term and may provide the authorities with grounds upon which to object under the new Licensing Act." The SIA estimates that 6,500 door staff are required across the Midlands . More than that number of licence application forms have been sent; but door staff are slow to return them. Chris Sharp adds: "We are working closely with the police to ensure the safety of the public at licensed premises. Door staff that have not been licensed cannot work – it is as simple as that. In the early stages of licensing the police operated a limited discretionary policy in some areas but that ended some time ago. I urge door staff who wish to carry on working do so legally and to get licensed." West Midlands Police add that multi-agency enforcement visits are planned to ensure compliance.

Merseyside Police and partners meanwhile are issuing a final warning to door staff in the area to get SIA-licensed by July, or face legal action.

Door licences came in in November in the region; there was then a locally defined 'grace period'. Supt Dave Labdon said: “We appreciate the complexities of introducing a new system of registration for door staff, so we have enforced it using discretion. After consultation with the partner agencies, we are now agreed that the time is right to end this period of discretion.”

And since February 28, it has been illegal for door staff in Hertfordshire to work without a SIA licence ...

But by mid-May only around a half of estimated door staff across the county had applied for a licence, despite police reminders. Herts Police are threatening ‘strong action' against pubs, clubs and individuals in breach of the law. Sue Sheath, SIA Head of Investigation for the South East, said: “This is really about everyone working together to make a difference to public safety and ensuring that only professionally trained and qualified door staff work at pubs and clubs in the county.” Surrey Police ran a compliance and enforcement operation involving up to 40 officers who visited licensed premises in Guildford to check SIA door staff licences. All 16 premises visited were fully SIA-compliant. Praising Surrey Police, Sue Sheath said: “It is great to see the legislation being enforced so proactively by Surrey Police and equally encouraging to see that the premise licence holders understand the zero tolerance approach that's being successfully adopted.”

Cleveland Police, similarly, have been checking pubs and clubs, with SIA staff.

Before the SIA came into force the former Cleveland door supervisor registration scheme (CDSRS) held the names of 659 people. Some 650 SIA packs were requested; 277 were returned (some not properly filled in and sent back). By the start of April , 102 licences had been granted.

Do you need an SIA licence if you are a bailiff enforcing a court order or rent arrears and clamp a car from private property and charge a release fee. Yes, you do, the SIA has established.

That means bailiffs cannot clamp, obstruct or remove vehicles from private property and charge a release fee (or whatever the fee is called).  There has been confusion because it was thought the Private Security Act 2001 did not apply in this case, and that a release fee could be charged for clamping, thanks to the Road Traffic Act 1988.  But, the authorities have ruled, there will be no exemptions for bailiffs, so if a bailiff or other enforcement officer clamps - or obstructs or removes - a vehicle from private property and charges a release fee, that is an offence.  And, to repeat, a release fee cannot be called an ‘enforcement cost'.  You do not need an SIA licence, though, if you clamp and release without a fee.  Visit www.the-sia.org.uk