A national roll-out of local pubwatch-style groups for doorstaff, to share information on troublemakers and promote best practice, is being planned.

Doorwatch sees door supervisors keeping in contact with each other and police and bringing information on troublemakers to the attention of licensees.

The scheme originated in Tiverton in Devon where it was credited with achieving a 17% drop in alcohol-related disorder. It operates in other parts of the region, plus Coventry, and is expected to start in Nottingham.

Security expert Ian Fox, a director of the Institute of Conflict Management, is helping to co-ordinate the scheme nationally, along with its founders Gerald Eva and Jason Gardner.

There are plans for local coordinators and a national committee, mirroring the set-up of the National Pubwatch scheme.

A central website is being devised to share best practice and promote the positive side of the industry. It will also lobby on various issues affecting doorstaff.

In addition, ideas for campaigns on civil action against thugs who attack doorstaff, and providing a counseling service are being considered. Services would be free.

National Pubwatch chairman Steve Baker said: “I welcome anything that improves the professionalism of doorstaff.

“However, I would offer a few words of caution. I would not want to see doorstaff or police using the new organisation to influence the running of licensed premises at arms length.

“The term ‘doorwatch’ suggests a similar function to that already effectively carried out by existing pubwatch schemes. There should be no confusion as to the role of doormen and licensees in the management of licensed premises.”

He suggested a name change for doorwatch to avoid confusion.

Fox stressed: “It’s up to the pubwatch to decide who gets banned. We are absolutely not involved in that decision. Our role is to communicate information that helps make the night-time economy safer for all.”

beSmart Training offers courses for would-be door supervisors on a regular basis.  To work as a door supervisor now you must attend a four-day course and successfully pass two multiple-choice examinations to get the required qualification.  Once you have your qualification you must then apply for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) Front Line Door Supervisor Licence.

For more information on beSmart Training’s courses go to our website at www.besmart-trainnig.co.uk or email us on info@besmart-training.co.uk.

Ray Massey from the Mail Online reports today: Cowboy clamping companies that fleece motorists through ‘legalised mugging’ have failed to clean up their act and will now be rooted out, parking bosses will be told today by ministers and motoring champions.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan will warn vehicle immobilisation firms to their face that the days of ‘disreputable operators’ ripping off motorists are over and that the Government intends to ‘root out the rogues, combat the cowboys, banish the bullies and put a stop to their wholly unacceptable activities for good’.

And AA president Edmund King will tell delegates to a special ’summit’ of the British Parking Association that they are in the ‘last chance saloon’ noting: ‘You have had your chance to clean up your act but have failed.

‘Self-regulation has failed.  We have reached the end of the road on reining in the antics of unscrupulous wheel clampers whose immoral excesses are reported to us almost daily.’

The broadside comes in the wake of  a notable victory for the Daily Mail after ministers  pledged to back a four-point  initiative by this newspaper to crack down on the unregulated cowboys  whose antics in England and Wales have been condemned as ‘legalised mugging.’

In Scotland clamping on private land is outlawed as ‘extortion and theft’.

The AA Mr King will tell delegates that the problem is not just a few isolated one-man band clampers, but that ’several of the established’ companies who are themselves members of the 650-strong British Parking Association are also failing to abide by their own code of practice.

He says a 64 per cent rise in clamping over the last 12 month is down in part to the fact that  many are trying to ‘cash in’ now before tougher regulation drives them out of business: ‘The dramatic increase in clamping is due to the fact that the cowboys know they are drinking in the last chance saloon and are trying to cash in before regulation drives them out of town.’

Attacking the ‘bully boy’  tactics of unregulated clampers imposing unfair and ‘draconian’ punishments,  Mr King says parking firms and clampers have wasted a chance to clean up their act – because many have refused to do so.

Mr King will tell the London conference of the  British Parking Association  which represents 650 members: ‘You have had your chance to clean up your act but have failed. It is not just the one-man band clampers that are out of order but several of the established companies. Self-regulation has failed. ‘

The AA has told the Home Office that their proposed new regulations on clamping  will fail without an independent regulator and independent appeals process.

The AA highlights has compiled from complaints a catalogue of ‘cowboy’ clamper tactics including:

* Parking decoy cars to ‘encourage’ people to park
* Hiding signs by parking the clamp van in front of them
* Making up and adding extra charges such as ‘tow truck called’ fee, swear box fee, ‘police called nuisance fee’
* Clamping drivers still in the vehicle who have pulled over to check a map or make a phone call
* Deliberately targeting ‘vulnerable’ motorists

Motorists deserved a fair and proportionate response to minor breaches of rules ‘rather than extortion, threats and profiteering,’ he says.

Penalties and appeals for off-street parking should be similar to those for on-street infringements and demanded an independent appeal against a clamp, removal or ticket.

Mr King noted: ‘We have reached the end of the road on reining in the antics of unscrupulous wheel clampers whose immoral excesses are reported to us almost daily.  Licensing has not worked as, in many cases, it has simply legalised the cowboys.’

He cites charging pensioners £370 to recover their car after a minor parking error or leaving an 18-year-old female alone overnight in a city because her car was taken and not given back until the next day.

Mr King will tell  parking delegate that ‘toothless’  licensing of the industry in 2005 became a ‘licence to print money’ for many.

‘Some ever resourceful rogue clampers often tacked on spurious charges, even having the audacity to impose extra ones for calling the police or swearing.’

Clampers routinely charge a clamping release fee and removal charge taking the cost to  more than £500  – even if a tow away never takes place.

If the Government’s planned crackdown does not work then clamping on private land should be outlawed as it was in Scotland in 1992.

Mr King highlighted a report by insurer LV which said the number of motorists who have been wheelclamped has risen by 64 per cent in the last 12 months with private clamping firms taking £58million.

In response to  the scale of the scandal unveiled by a Daily Mail investigation last month, Home Office Alan Campbell, responsible for drawing up new legislation to crackdown on abuses, agreed to act on the Mail’s four-point action plan to:

* limit the size of penalties dished out by firms
* regulate towing practices
* put in place an effective and fair appeals process

He is currently thrashing out with civil servants the means of making such an appeal system fully independent.

Ministers are also investigating ways to curb the incentives given to clamping firms by land owners, which has seen clampers offering to work for free for  landowners- paying them a £50-per-car bounty for each one clamped.

But Transport Minister Sadiq Khan has already said that the Government’s aim would be to make the appeals system ‘independent’.

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: “We are currently looking to introduce a compulsory licensing scheme for all wheelclamping businesses.

‘We need to limit the size of penalties dished out by firms, regulate towing practices and put in place an effective and fair appeals process. Alongside this, we will also look at the issue of incentives given to clamping firms by land-owners.’

The Home Office is to publish of draft legislation in the Policing, Crime and Private Security Bill in the Queen’s Speech on November 18.

Even the British Parking Association said it recognised weaknesses in the current regime.

A spokesman said: ‘The British Parking Association, which has an Code of Practice for its members, has been calling for and would welcome legislation that improves standards and fairness within the parking industry, and in particular that calls time on the cowboys.’

Chief executive Patrick Troy added: ‘We are confident that the majority of people around the table have the same aim as us – to ensure parking is regulated in a fair and transparent way.

‘This is the reason why the British Parking Association called the summit – with all attending looking forward and working together to generate ideas and find solutions to make parking fairer for all.’

Training and licensing for individuals who actually do the clamping has been a legal requirement for several years.  beSmart Training regularly runs courses for individuals who wish to get a Security Industry Authority License for vehicle immobilisation.  The licence allows individuals to clamp, immobilise, block or tow vehicles who contravene parking regulations on private land.   Please go to our website for more information.

The SIA has today announced that new updated and modular training for SIA Licences is to be introduced.

New licence-linked qualifications are to be introduced next year, bringing the training up to date and introducing a modular structure.

This follows an industry-led review of the SIA specifications that drive training content. The new specifications reflect current industry best practice so that individuals working in the security sectors undergo good basic training for their role.

A new structure with core plus specialist modules means less overlap and duplication in content across the sectors. This will make it easier to get qualified to obtain more than one licence, as just the relevant and required training needs to be taken for each additional qualification.

The new qualifications are now being developed by the awarding bodies and will be offered by training providers across the UK from:

June 2010 for door supervisors; and
January 2010 for operatives in all other sectors (September 2010 in Scotland).

After these dates, all applicants applying for an SIA licence for the first time must hold either the new qualification; or a current qualification that is less than three years old.

Hazel Russell, SIA director of Strategy and Corporate Services, said: “Licensing for security operatives has done much to reduce criminality and raise standards in the private security industry.

“As the role and responsibilities of security staff evolve, it is important that their training reflects these changes and equips them for the challenges they face.

We now have industry-led content, meaning it is relevant and has been developed in conjunction with those working in the licensable sectors. This will benefit the operatives, businesses and the public.”

The content for all of the SIA specifications has changed and been updated. For most sectors there are not major changes to the content areas included. The exception is door supervision, where significant changes have been made at the request of industry to reflect up to date working practices.

There are currently no further training requirements for any existing licence holders who wish to renew their licence. However, because of the changes to the door supervision area, there may at a future date, be a need for a short ‘top-up’ training session for this sector. This proposal will need to be subject to public consultation and will not be a requirement, if at all, until after May 2011. Any requirement will be announced a year before this date to give the industry plenty of time to do the training.

As soon as any further news is available we’ll let you know.

BeSmart currently offers regular SIA approved courses at its London training centre.  For more information go to our website at www.besmart-training.co.uk.

By law all door supervisors must have SIA licence and display it at all times while on duty. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has been conducting rigorous inspections all over the country to ensure all door supervisors are in compliance with the Private Security Act.

Last weekend, the SIA inspection team was in the Nottingham area and together with some officers from Nottinghamshire Police they inspected 7 establishments and 17 door supervisors had their licences checked to confirm they were valid. All 17 workers had valid licences and only one worker received a warning for not displaying his licence.

SIA Head of investigation Nigel Davies commented on the checks:

“I’m pleased with these results, as SIA-licensed door supervisors are a big factor in helping members of the public to enjoy their night out. Door staff are reminded that they must display their licences at all times when working, otherwise they are breaking the conditions laid down by regulation.”

Neighbourhood policing inspector Al Pearson added:

“We liaise very closely with the SIA to ensure that all door staff operating in Carlton are suitably qualified. I’m delighted that this inspection has reflected the hard work that has been put in.”

The compliance levels found in Notts and the combined work between the Local Police, SIA inspector and Neighbour Watch Teams were another positive example of partners working together for a safer city.

A CAR clamping boss claims a ban on private clampers would lead to “anarchy and chaos”.

Tony Fithon, managing director of Colchester clamping firm, Impact Security Services, says AA calls for a ban are unnecessary and would leave the police and other authorities under pressure.

“The big problem is that there is no ceiling on what you can charge to release a clamped car.  If the Government put a limit in place, all these problems would go away.”  said Tony Fithon, of clamping firm, Impact Security Services

The motoring organisation has condemned unregulated private clamping firms as “immoral” and is urging the Government to ban them.

But Mr Fithon said: “Wheel clamping plays an important part in the overall security of the UK.

“If you took the traffic wardens off the streets, there would be chaos and anarchy and it is exactly the same with car clamping. The police would have anarchy in the UK.”

He added: “The big problem is that there is no ceiling on what you can charge to release a clamped car.

“If the Government put a limit in place, all these problems would go away.”

The AA says some unscrupulous companies are charging as much as £500 to release vehicles.

It also believes it is too easy for people to get access to Government records of car owners’ details, allowing almost anyone to set up a car clamping business.

Paul Watters from the AA said: “The lure of uncontrolled money-raking is so great some companies even offer DIY packs, with signs clampers can print off the internet.

“The public has absolutely no protection if a private parking firm acts unfairly, as it is a civil matter and no one is interested in helping.”

Essex University recently backed down in a row with students, hundreds of whose cars were clamped by Woodlund Services, which then demanded £50 to release them. In the end, the university agreed instead of clamping, drivers would simply be given a penalty notice, warning cars were liable to be clamped in future.

The Government has promised legislation regulating clampers will be introduced in 2010.

All vehicle immobilisers who clamp or tow vehicles on private land must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority.  To get licensed they must pass two examinations which cover current legislation, good practice and conflict management, and have a criminal record check.  beSmart Training run these courses every month at their London training centre.  Go to our website at www.besmart-training.co.uk for more details.