Local authorities can utilise the


BASIS Amenity Audit Scheme to investigate and validate standards of work and contracting operations of the contractors they are using. A full comprehensive report will identify any problems and make recommendations for future contracts. Examples of problems encountered and identified by the BASIS Amenity Audit on behalf of local authorities:


• Speeding quad bikes endangering public on footpaths


• Spray operators ’zigzagging’ from one side of the road to another with no complete coverage as specified in the contract.


• Identification of non sprayed areas (supposedly sprayed)


• Use of residual herbicides outside the label recommendations


• Use of unqualified operators


• Companies without qualified sales personnel


• Use of uncalibrated machinery making applications in excess of the maximum dose rates allowed


Many of these operations are illegal and can lead to prosecution or fines in a court of law.


There have been a number of serious Health & Safety breaches identified too.


If someone is harmed, (either the operator or a member of the public), who is ultimately responsible?


Have you checked the contractor’s insurance policy to ensure he has cover for spraying pesticides in public areas? Very few contractors have cover in this area - why is it not insisted upon?


Whether we like it or not the Amenity Industry has its share of ‘Cowboy’ operators and if we don’t act to bring in some standards and ensure we all comply with the law, make no mistake, the government and/or the EU will force us to do it. Pesticides are needed for weed


control, especially if we want to keep costs down. If we don’t act soon to make sure


they are used responsibly we will lose them.


Still confused?


BASIS can help: • Advice about training for staff • Advice about storage and transport


• Training courses for advisors and storekeepers


• Training courses for contracts managers and supervisors


• Professional Register for advisors


• BACCS – Advanced Contractor Scheme


• Amenity Audit Scheme


Contact: Rob Simpson Direct Dial: 01335 340853 email: rob@basis-reg.co.uk Bob Kidd Direct Dial: 01335 340851 email: rkidd@basis-reg.co.uk Lindsay Smith Direct Dial: 01335 340859 email: lindsay@basis-reg.co.uk www.basis-reg.com


Age Legislation 2006 10 facts your business needs to know


1. Age Regulations came into force on the 1st October 2006.


2. Regulations cover employment and vocational training. This includes access to help and guidance, recruitment, promotion, development, termination, perks and pay.


3. The regulations cover people of all ages, both old and young.


4. All employers, providers of vocational training, trade unions, professional associations, employer organisations and trustees, and managers of occupational pension schemes will have new obligations to consider.


5. Goods, facilities and services are not included in these regulations.


6. Upper age limits for unfair dismissal and


redundancy will be removed.


7. A national default retirement age of 65 will be introduced making compulsory retirement below age 65 unlawful (unless objectively justified). This will be reviewed in 2011.


8. All employees will have the ‘right to request’ to work beyond the default retirement age of 65 or any other retirement age set by the company and all employers will have a ‘duty to consider’ requests from employees to work beyond 65.


9. Occupational pensions are covered by the regulations, as are employer contributions to personal pensions. However, the regulations generally allow pension schemes to work as they do now. See regulations for more details.


Taking on Staff


When you are recruiting and interviewing potential new staff, are you sure your candidates are eligible to work in the UK? With many more people entering the UK and seeking work, it is important to ensure that all potential employees are legally entitled to work here. If you are recruiting through an agency, then they should have carried out verification before sending candidates to you but it is advisable to confirm this with your agency contact. You could face prosecution and a possible penalty of £5000 per illegal employee if certain original documents have not been checked and copied before you take on new staff!


British Citizens,


Commonwealth Citizens with the right of abode in the UK, most European Economic Area nationals and their family members are entitled to work in the UK. However, in order to avoid discriminating against anyone on the basis of their racial background when you are recruiting you must take care to check on all candidates in the same way. Remember that there are many people from minority groups living in the UK who are British Citizens. The Home Office lists a


range of documents that are acceptable as evidence of legal working status in the UK but the main ones are a current passport, or a P45 or P60 accompanied by a full birth certificate issued in the UK which shows the name of the person’s parent or guardian. Copy the front cover, all the pages that give your potential employee’s personal details, any photographs and signature, any pages containing a UK government stamp, or endorsement allowing the person to do the work you are offering. You must not retain the original documents other than for the purpose of copying them, except for the P45. If you are only employing the person for a day or less it may not be appropriate to take a copy but you must make sure you keep the documents safe and return them at the end of the period of employment. Copies of the documents should be kept throughout the period of employment of the person concerned, and for at least three years after they have left (this also applies to Part 2 of the P45). This is a complicated area and you may wish to have a look at the Home Office and ACAS websites for further details and information.


10. The regulations do not affect state pensions.


Please note: ACAS is the nominated agency to provide advice and guidance on age issues.


To contact their Helpline call 0845 7474747 or go online at www.acas.org.uk


Information source - Department of Work and Pensions


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