Text messages will be sent to current licence holders to remind them that their licences are due for renewal. The message will inform operatives of the type of licence they hold and the expiry date, and will provide a link to the renewal page on the Regulator’s website.
Licence holders who provided their mobile number on the application form will be automatically registered for the service. Those who did not, or who want to make sure they are registered, can sign up to receive alerts online at this URL.
Receiving text messages is optional and individuals can opt out by replying ‘STOP’ to the message received.
If a licence holder prefers not to use the text messaging service, the Security Industry Authority will continue to send the renewal letter by post.
Christy Hopkins (assistant director of customer service and quality improvement at the Regulator) told SMT Online: “This is the first phase of our new SMS text message service and we plan to introduce further developments early next year, starting with alerts to let people who have applied for a licence know how their application is progressing.”
Hopkins continued: “This new SMS service is part of our drive to improve contact between the Regulator and our customers. Our aim is to make the licensing process easier and quicker for applicants by providing more flexible ways to interact with us.”
If the SIA receives a report that a text has failed, a letter will be sent by post.
It’s a given individuals’ responsibility to ensure their licence is renewed on time. There is no ‘grace period’ between licences, and it remains a criminal offence to undertake licensable activity without a licence.
Licence holders can renew their licences up to four months in advance. If they already hold a Security Industry Authority licence they will need to apply for a new one before their current one expires if it is to be dealt with as a renewal rather than a new application.
For more information visit the Regulator’s renewal pages.
Private Security Industry Act 2001: enshrined in law
In October 2010, the Government announced a ‘phased transition to a new regulatory regime’ for the private security industry. The Security Industry Authority is now working in consultation with the industry to draw up these plans, and while future regulation is subject to Parliamentary approval, the key elements are likely to include: a new regulatory body outside Government; the licensing of businesses and the registration of individuals.
The final decisions on future regulation in Scotland and Northern Ireland are subject to agreement by the devolved administrations, but it’s expected that the new regime should be capable of working across the UK.
Currently, the Private Security Industry Act 2001 remains law. It’s a criminal offence for security operatives and those deploying them to work in licensable activities without a valid licence from the Regulator. The SIA and its partners continue to ensure that the law is properly enforced.
For further information about the Security Industry Authority or to sign up for e-mail updates visit its official website.
Bill Butler’s Blog: September 2011
The Regulator’s CEO Bill Butler has been on holiday so the September blog is written by Stephen McCormick, the SIA’s director of service delivery. Here’s what Stephen has had to say…
“Looking back, the past month seems to have gone very quickly. I’ve spent much of my time working with my senior team to put more detail into the specifications for the new systems that we’ll need to support us in the future, as well as dealing with all the normal day-to-day business issues.”
“The development work is going well, and I’m hopeful that we’ll make significant progress towards changing the way we work with individuals and businesses well in advance of the introduction of any future regulatory regime.”
“Towards the end of August I was able to attend the annual Government ICT Conference held here in London. This year, it focused on operational efficiency and the ‘green’ agenda, with existing suppliers to Government bringing forward new capabilities and services that could prove interesting to us in the coming period of change and the re-engineering of our systems and operating processes.”
“I’ve also been able to meet with a number of stakeholders, including speaking about our proposals for the future regime with accrediting body EDI and a number of training providers at the EDI sponsored ‘Licence to Practise’ Group in Coventry. I gave an update of how our proposals are progressing at the ACS Strategy and Standards Committee, and I have been meeting with security companies to talk about how we might work more closely with businesses when operating the future individual registration scheme.”
“While we work on developing the new regulatory regime we must still continue with our day-to-day business. Our licensing team dealt with a high level of demand during the peak of the holiday period and still managed to increase performance, completing just under 80% of all licence applications in three weeks or less.”
“Our customer service team has been working on proposals to change and simplify how we will contact individual licence holders in the future (for example by using text messages and e-mail). Meanwhile, the ACS team continues to work closely with our compliance and investigation team to disrupt criminal activity in the private security industry, while at the same time developing proposals on possible business licensing criteria.”
“I’m looking forward to our second stakeholder conference in Sheffield on 12 October, and to the Autumn ACS Forums and ‘Future of Regulation’ Roadshows being held across the country in October and November. These events will give me the opportunity to explore in more detail the ways in which we can develop our licensing service to better meet our customers’ needs – and, wherever possible, hold or reduce the cost of providing that service.”
