Author Topic: NoToMob question Patrick Troy, Nick Lester and Belinda Webb about ticket targets  (Read 4221 times)

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Offline Web Admin

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NoToMob at Parkex 2014 - we question panel on evidence of ticket targets in parking contracts

Published on Jul 7, 2014

At Parkex 2014 during a seminar called "The PR of Parking", the audience were invited to ask questions. We asked about the evidence the NoToMob have found of ticket targets in parking contracts, and bonuses paid to contractors like NSL Ltd based on those targets.

Note the admission (about 5 minutes in) by Belinda Webb (she shakes her head) and Patrick Troy that they were not aware that there were IN FACT ticket targets written into the Camden council's BPA Ltd model contract with NSL Ltd.

Patrick Troy went before parliament and made a statement reported at page 22 here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmtran/118/118.pdf

The report says:
43. There is a perception amongst some members of the public that CEOs have an incentive to catch motorists out and issue PCNs. Patrick Troy, from the British Parking Association, told us that "If any local authority were doing that, they would be breaking the law. It is as simple as that. The BPA tries to ensure that local authorities understand this. It has developed a model contract for local authorities when they outsource their enforcement activities."

Mr Troy explained that:
"another misunderstanding is that the private sector is then incentivised to issue as many tickets as possible to boost their profit line. In fact, the service providers don't benefit from the penalty charge notices that are issued; it is the local authority that receives the income. Our model contract makes clear that the responsibility of the service provider is to deliver a service in accordance with some KPIs [Key Performance Indicators], none of which relate to the generation of revenue or the issue of tickets." [emphasis added]






Offline DastardlyDick

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There's a definite breach of Health & Safety there - no fire extinguishers for when choccy's trousers spontaneously combust  :rotfl:

Offline Ewan Hoosami

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The Bullshit Purveyors Association are in fact avid readers of this forum. I won't say how I know but I do know. The following Bromley targets were published on here on 27th January '14.

http://notomob.co.uk/documents/Bromley/Bromley%20parking%20contract%20Appendix%2015.pdf

In June '14 everyone was surprised to hear that there were ticket targets and had no knowledge of them whatsoever. Notice how nobody asked Graeme if he had any proof of these 'targets'. Think about it. As far as the BPA were concerned, there were no targets. A campaigner says, completely out of the blue, that there were targets and not one person present questions this assertion. They all take his word for it. Nothing at all fishy about that then.
Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline The Bald Eagle

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I was at Parkex and attended the seminar in question. The response by Webb to G's questioning was quite bizarre, and only went to prove her ignorance of the law.

What she said was that the contracts that featured on the Inside Out were, as far as she was aware, drafted before the legislation which outlawed them came into effect.

Webb freely admitted that "it [ticket targets in contracts] wasn't good practice" which is an admission that there were in fact ticket targets in those contracts. More astonishing however, is that she actually thinks that contract terms are not unlawful provided they are entered into prior to bringing in new legislation that outlaws some of the terms of that contract. That's like an English landowner saying "Back in 2008 I entered into a 999 year contract with a clamper to allow him to clamp and tow away on my land, so you can stick your PoFA where the sun don't shine pal!"

Then, after Nickerless had wasted everyone's time by not answering anything he had been asked, Webb hit us with another little gem.

"If there is a law there or legislation there I want it to be there for everyone and for it to be followed. I don't want to know that my neighbour's got off with somethink and I haven't."

I do wish she'd make her bloody mind up! :bashy: :bashy: :bashy:

I don't know (nor do I care) in which particular field Webb got her doctorship, but I do know it wasn't in the field of law.

What's even more disturbing is that this woman is in a senior position in a firm whose main business is enforcement of the law that she clearly does not understand.
WE ARE WATCHING YOU

Offline Bluebird

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Quote
I don't know (nor do I care) in which particular field Webb got her doctorship, but I do know it wasn't in the field of law.

FWIW (not a lot!), Belinda's LinkedIn profile

Group Head of Communications at NSL, provider of outsourced services, working in partnership with regional, central, and local government, and the NHS.

Member of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the European Parking Association's 2015 EPA Congress, which will be held in Berlin.

A dynamic and assertive communications expert and spokesperson with over fourteen years experience. Local and central government services. NHS. Membership and government advisory bodies: The Federation of Small Businesses, The Institution of Engineering & Technology. Higher education and research. VNU Publishing, Paragon Publishing, and On-Line PLC - early dot com (PhotoBox, StockByte, Cartesian), and new media incubator (owners of ADVFN).

A trained journalist and former university teacher (creative writing, including journalism, and blogging). I am in tune with the news and political agenda(s). Quick to identify coverage and comment opportunities, whilst also working to safeguard and defend corporate reputation by actual and potential threats.

Change communications
Internal communications
Media relations
Corporate communications
Crisis communications
Short to long-term strategies
Stakeholder engagement planning
Public Affairs
Media training

I am a full member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and participate in regular CPD. Recent refresher workshops include Crisis Communications, with Alastair Campbell, Stakeholder Theory, and Internal Communications.


Not really all that impressive, poor use of grammar and too much gobbledegook. Remember that "creative writing" is newspeak for fiction.

Offline Ewan Hoosami

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I don't know (nor do I care) in which particular field Webb got her doctorship……………...


My money's on folklore. She certainly knows her fairy tales well. Also it is not uncommon for doctorates to be handed out to Muppets.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8855284/Surprising-honorary-degree-recipients.html?image=3
Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline DastardlyDick

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Surely that should be university lecturer rather than teacher?

Offline Ewan Hoosami

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That'll be the creative writing coming into play. She's not bad at creative talking as well. Earlier on in that session she, at least twice, asserted that NSL CEOs only issue one PCN per hour. The Bald Eagle had to get up and leave as he was diagnosed as being bullshit intolerant at a young age.
Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline BGB

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I am reminded of the old Scottish saying:

"You cannot polish a turd"
« Last Edit: 08 July, 2014, 09:23:50 AM by BGB »

Offline DastardlyDick

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That'll be the creative writing coming into play. She's not bad at creative talking as well. Earlier on in that session she, at least twice, asserted that NSL CEOs only issue one PCN per hour. The Bald Eagle had to get up and leave as he was diagnosed as being bullshit intolerant at a young age.

They didn't supply sick bags either?  :rotfl:

To be a bit fair, 1 per hour may be the average across NSLs little 'empire'.
« Last Edit: 08 July, 2014, 09:45:16 AM by DastardlyDick »

Offline BGB

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Consider the following from one of NSL's other fields of business, patient transport.

NSL in Kent kept a patient waiting to go home for over 24 hours.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-23252698

"NSL said the "unsatisfactory service" had been due to "unforeseen challenges".

"This level of service was far below the level to which we aspire and fell far short of what we provide to our patients in other areas," the statement said.
"

But what about the Public Relations?

"At NSL Care Services we provide your patients with safe, comfortable and efficient transfers. Our staff are dedicated to making sure they arrive at your specified destinations safely, and a caring, timely, reliable and cost-effective transport service to the public and private sectors...  Here, the patient always comes first."

http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/patient-transfers

Or how about Derbyshire?

"Mr Bennetts, of... Alvaston, said that since November last year he had missed several appointments at the amputee centre and been late for his dialysis because the transport had turned up late – or failed to show completely.

He said: "It's incredibly frustrating because I've been going to the clinic to learn how to use the limb, so I can get back my independence.

"But, ironically, every time I miss an appointment, it means extra delays in using the limb and getting to the stage where I no longer need the transport service."

... The NSL spokeswoman said the complaint rate was below 1% and added: "Under the new contract, patients became responsible for booking their own transport by phone, whereas it was previously paper-based. This resulted in the volume of calls initially exceeding our planning assumptions, which resulted in difficulty making contact for bookings and queries very difficult
."

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Apology-patients-Derbyshire-unacceptable-NHS/story-18381700-detail/story.html

So its not NSL's fault then!

Here, the patient always comes first

http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/patient-transfers

Or how about North Staffordshire?

"PATIENTS have been 'let down' by a new private ambulance service which has left them waiting at hospitals for hours.

London-based NSL took over the £3 million contract... last month.

But since then some of the hundreds of North Staffordshire patients ferried to and from appointments every day have been forced to wait up to seven hours for a lift home.
"
But thats all right because...

"Dr Belinda Webb, from NSL, said: "We have already moved some shift times and staff to accommodate the service requirements. This is improving standards as consultations continue with all individuals on the proposed rota changes.""

"For us it's all about Care and Service for our patients and clients."

http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/patient-transfers

Luckily for NSL, its not NSL's fault according to Dr Webb.

And so on to Cornwall!


"Corwall [sic] Patient Transport

From 1 October 2013, NSL Care Services will be operating Patient Transport Services (PTS) for the NHS in Cornwall...
 
NSL Care Services already provide PTS in other parts of the UK, and has built up a reputation for being trusted, reliable, and caring. "

http://www.nsl.co.uk/cornwall/

Now back to Kent? 

A spokesman for NSL, Belinda Webb, confirmed Mr Cooper [the manager reponsible] had left the company.

She added: "He went to pursue other things that he wanted to focus on."

http://www.maidstoneandmedwaynews.co.uk/NSL-boss-quits-hospital-taxi-service/story-20806872-detail/story.html

Nothing to do with the Care Quality Commission then, Dr Webb.  The CQC stated

"We carried out this inspection [of NSL] as a responsive review after we received concerns that people were not receiving an effective service that met their needs...

We found that people had not been receiving a service that was planned and delivered in a way that met their needs. This was because people experienced long waits for transport to and from their appointments and in some cases did not receive any transport.

The provider did not have effective recruitment systems in place. Records showed that staff were employed without employment checks, references or current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.  Staff had received training and records showed that staff were trained prior to starting work.

NSL Kent had not been well led which meant that the quality assurance processes had not effectively identified the shortfalls in the service.

The provider had not taken reasonable steps in a timely manner to address the shortfalls which resulted in people continuing to receive a service that did not meet their needs.
"

"For us it's all about Care and Service for our patients and clients."

http://www.nslcareservices.co.uk/patient-transfers

« Last Edit: 08 July, 2014, 08:18:25 PM by BGB »

Offline Ewan Hoosami

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To be a bit fair, 1 per hour may be the average across NSLs little 'empire'.

I would seriously doubt that but that is not what Dr. Bellend said. The interviewer suggested the scenario of bonuses and of CEOs being over-zealous. Part of Dr. Bellend's lengthy response contained the exact words,

"............it’s reckless use of language like that that puts our parking wardens in danger, it reinforces a negative view of those parking wardens who may only issue one PCN an hour in the high density areas..................…" :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:

A little later the interviewer asked if CEOs could become neighbourhood wardens and have a dual role of doing pro-active stuff for the community. Dr. Bellend couldn't help herself again and took the opportunity of mentioning again that NSL CEOs issue only one PCN an hour. The remaining 59 minutes or 57 minutes they are acting as reassuring presences on our high streets and have good relations with most small businesses :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:  :rotfl:

Apparently Dr. Bellend had tons and tons of stories of kindly CEOs helping elderly people and people in need on the streets. When Hakim Bekani was canned for questioning NSL's clandestine ticket targets, the leaked emails between NSL managers suggested a figure ever so slightly higher than one per hour. Also I don't remember Hakim Berkani mentioning how he was encouraged to help old ladies across the street, get cats out of trees and suchlike.

None of this of course proves that Dr. Bellend is a liar. I will entertain the possibility that she is locked in a darkened room in between her speaking in front of a camera sessions with no contact at all with the outside world. Her appearance alone would lend credence to that theory.

 :pmsl:
Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline DastardlyDick

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Having seen the full reply, I stand corrected.

 


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