“four years after its establishment, it’s a good time for the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to evaluate what has been achieved and what the organisation’s priorities ought to be for the future. This event is a tremendous opportunity for the SIA to present current thinking, and at the same time listen to critiques on how it might enhance its effectiveness.”
The words of Baroness Ruth Henig, the new chairman of the SIA, relating to a major conference that’s taking place in the Gilbert Murray Conference Suite at The University of Leicester on Wednesday 9 May.
Entitled ‘Security Industry Authority: The Changing Agenda’, the event – organised in conjunction with the Perpetuity Group and Perpetuity Conferences – is designed to sketch out the Regulator’s strategic aims for the next three years. It is to be chaired by Baroness Henig herself. In her inaugural address, Ruth will look at what lessons have been learned since 2003, and what the SIA needs to do differently (or at least to review) for the future.
‘Together we can’
In order for private sector regulation to continue to be successful, it is vitally important that the industry works together and that the right partners are chosen for the task at hand.
During his delivery, David Dickinson – chief executive of the British Security Industry Association – is going to examine the importance of a united stance, pinpoint ways in which some things may be done differently in view of regulatory experience to date and then stress that the SIA cannot change the industry. The industry must change itself for the better.
The hot topic on everyone’s lips just now is enforcement of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. It’s a delicate process. On the back of two high profile reports (namely Hampton and McCrory), the SIA’s acting chief executive Andy Drane is going to assess the implications for the Regulator and the private security sector as a whole.
Andy’s talk will include a discussion of what an effective compliance strategy looks like, how the major recommendations of the Hampton and McCrory reports are being incorporated into the SIA’s approach and what the implications of that might be for the industry.
Is it time for a change?
Does the legislation as it stands need changing? If so, in what way? This will be the subject of a major Panel Discussion led by Brian Kingham of Reliance and Bruce George, the Labour MP for Walsall South who has always been a staunch supporter of regulation.
Following luncheon, there’ll be another debate, this time focused around the assertion that ‘Regulation has generated a positive change in the private security sector. The case for the motion will be laid out by the SIA’s former acting chairman Robin Dahlberg, but he’ll face tough competition from Richard Childs, the former Lincolnshire Police chief constable and now principal consultant of The Community Safety Consultancy.
How does regulation help the private security sector participate in the extended policing family? That question will be examined by Peter Davies, ACPO’s lead on the security industry. Peter will examine the impact of regulation from the perspective of the police service, exploring current views of it and the ways in which it might influence practice from this point onwards.
Specifically, Peter is going to look at how the security sector might identify a list of opportunities, what Best Practice might be and outline the work still to be done.
Can regulation make the security sector more competitive? Professor Martin Gill will tackle this one, focusing on the results of research involving security professionals worldwide.
Martin will examine whether security is a pure cost on the bottom line or a business-enhancing service, and what skills sets combine to make security competitive in today’s world.
Applying Best Practice
Closing the day’s proceedings is a session concentrating on the application of Best Practice within security and how we might learn lessons on this from overseas.
Bruce George MP and Dr Mark Button of the University of Portsmouth will draw upon the experiences of security regulatory regimes from all around the world. These two industry figures will review the process of improving performance, international Best Practice, how strands of that might fit in with current thinking at the Regulator’s offices and in what ways the industry could avoid diluting the influence of the SIA.
Booking your place
The ‘Security Industry Authority: The Changing Agenda’ Conference runs from 9.50 am (with an address from Professor Robert Burgess, vice-chancellor of The University of Leicester), and concludes at 4.00 pm with a summation of the day’s proceedings courtesy of Baroness Ruth Henig. Ruth will outline how the SIA intends to listen to and absorb the many diverse viewpoints harboured in this industry.
Individual delegate registration fees are GB pound 145 (+vat). To book, you can download an order form from Perpetuity Group’s web site (head for www.perpetuitygroup.com and then click on the ‘Conferences’ icon), telephone 0116-222 5550, send a cheque (payable to Perpetuity Conferences Limited) to Perpetuity Conferences Ltd, 148 Upper New Walk, Leicester LE1 7QA or simply fax your completed, downloaded Order Form direct to 0116-222 5551.
