European Centre for Business Excellence backs ACS Option 4

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA)-commissioned report authored by Dr Steve Tanner – an executive director of Oakland Consulting, taking responsibility for the European Centre for Business Excellence – suggests that Option 4 is the “superior solution” for the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) scheduled to be administered by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The report was commissioned by the BSIA to help inform the recent debate surrounding the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the ACS, which closed to opinions from the industry on 17 November. Analysis of the RIA results is currently being carried out by Home Office officials under the guidance of the department’s Better Government Team, which provides advice and support on ensuring that regulations are “not too burdensome” and that they adhere to the strict guidance for RIA production as laid down by the Cabinet Office. The final outcome was due to be announced before the end of 2005, but no decision had been taken prior to SMT passing for press on 21 December.

The European Centre for Business Excellence report concludes: “This review recommends Option 4 over Option 3 as it is a superior solution that, in the longer term, will deliver greater benefits to customers, contractors and the industry.”

Commenting on the report (copies of which may be downloaded from the BSIA’s web site at www.bsia.co.uk/download. html), BSIA chief executive David Dickinson told SMT: “Until now, the debate about which Option to choose for the ACS has been a little short on independent analysis. For this reason, we commissioned this academic report with the intention of providing factual commentary as opposed to rhetoric.

“The results provide a clear and unbiased view of what is being proposed. While it acknowledges the importance of ISO 9000 and industry-specific British Standards, it also recognises the need for the ACS to provide a different kind of benchmark. Options 3 and 4 serve different and complementary purposes, a point that has perhaps been missed until now.”

• The BSIA has repeated calls by many practitioners to bring about the licensing of in-house security personnel “at the earliest possible opportunity”.

BSIA chief executive David Dickinson told SMT: “The industry and its customer base deserves better than just a promise to do something about the in-house issue at some future, ill-defined date. This was an anomaly in the Private Security Industry Act 2001, one that requires a swift remedy.”

• The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has announced that Robin Dahlberg, currently the Regulator’s deputy chairman, has accepted the appointment of SIA acting chairman when Peter Hermitage steps down at the end of this month. Dahlberg takes on his new role from 1 February for a six-month period. An open competition will be held to appoint a full-time chairman.