2026

An authority is currently experiencing difficulties in obtaining indicative costs for our fleet replacement programme without access to full specifications.

• They would therefore be interested to understand how other local authorities approach this, particularly in relation to managing pricing across diverse fleets
• In addition, could respondents clarify whether transport teams are granted access to the Crown Commercial Service portal, or if this is restricted to procurement teams only?

A member authority is seeking examples of parking charging arrangements from local authorities, particularly towns with populations of around 100,000.

They would appreciate information on:

• Charges for virtual parking permits.

• Charges for paper parking permits.

• Town centre parking bay charging models.

• Short-stay and long-stay charging structures.

• Any innovative permit or pricing approaches.

An authority is undertaking a job evaluation of their Vehicle Test Centre Examiners and are seeking to benchmark against comparable roles.

Could authorities please provide:

• Copies of current job descriptions and person specifications for roles equivalent to Vehicle Examiners or Enforcement Officers, particularly where technical inspection and enforcement functions are combined
• This should include:
• Salary grades / pay ranges, including any market supplements or allowances applied to these roles
• A brief indication of scope of duties, specifically whether the role includes roadside enforcement, collision investigation, and preparation of evidential reports for legal proceedings

• Which services do other local authorities use for car leasing/hiring for short-length journeys for their staff (e.g. CoWheels)?
• Are there any local authorities which operate solely on casual car user allowance or a standard mileage claim basis for staff, using only their staff’s personal vehicles?

We would like to hear from other authorities currently using RCVs (refuse collection vehicles) and would like to ask, in the interests of maximising Fleet Utilisation:

• What shift patterns do you use for the vehicles in terms of their hours of operation per day?
• On average How many days a week do they operate?
• Do you operate them on single or double shifts?
• What operational barriers are there to double shifting RCV’s?
• Any other operational considerations, such as charging electric RCVs, etc
• what is the average price of an ICE RCV compared to an Electric RCV?

A local authority is seeking information from other member authorities in relation to their “Driving at Work” arrangements and would welcome any input.

Specifically, they are interested in seeing examples of:

• Driving at Work Policies
• Driving at Work Procedures
• Any associated Drivers Handbook

In addition, they would appreciate insight into whether your documentation includes any of the following areas:

• A section covering “for cause” (just cause) drugs and alcohol testing
• A section covering random drugs and alcohol testing
• Guidance on accident damage, including support arrangements and any disciplinary approach for repeated incidents
• A section addressing repeated tachograph infringements
• A section covering non-compliance with pre-use vehicle inspections

If you have relevant documents or can provide a summary of your approach, this would be greatly appreciated.

A Council is currently seeking to understand what intelligence is available regarding School Transport Management systems being used by local authorities.

Please can you respond with what systems you use for School Transport Management at your authority.

 

A local authority is keen to understand how other member authorities are treating drivers' hours for certain waste operations. In particular:-
 1. Do you operate Household Waste Recycling Centres / civic amenity sites where your own vehicles remove full skips or containers to transfer, treatment or final disposal sites?
2. For special uplifts or fly-tipping collections, do vehicles return to a depot or transfer point for tipping and segregation, and are any waste streams then reloaded onto council vehicles for onward transport to treatment or disposal sites?
3. For these types of operations, which drivers’ hours regime do you apply: 
⦁    GB domestic rules, or
⦁    assimilated drivers’ hours and tachograph rules?
 If different stages of the operation are treated differently, it would be helpful if you could say which stage falls under which regime.
 It would also be useful to know whether your position is based on DVSA advice, legal advice, internal interpretation, or previous inspection/enforcement experience.

 

TVM429 - Fleet Stores Management - 160226
A member authority would like to hear from any members who operate an external managed stores system.
 1.            Do you currently operate an external managed stores system?
a.            Is it a single supplier system?
b.            How many workshops do you operate and do they all use this system? 
c.             Does the stores system integrate with your fleet management system?
2.            Are the savings evident? Please can you provide  details on 
a.            Cost savings
b.            Time saving
c.             Reduced vehicle downtime?
3.            Any lessons learned which you can share with those who are considering the change of stores management?
4.            Are you able to share your specification of the provision and service agreement?
 

TVM428 - Battery failures in Ford Transit vehicles - 260226
A local authority is experiencing a high proportion of battery failures in Ford Transit vehicles which are covered by a 3-year agreed warranty. They would therefore be grateful if colleagues could provide information on the following:
1.    Are other Local Authorities having similar issues?
2.    If yes, how long does it take to get a vehicle looked at under Fords warranty? 
3.    Has Ford come to any arrangements to help other local authorities with similar issues?
4.    Have any other Local Authorities’ been offered FORD assist in this respect?
5.    Have you been asked to pay an advance refundable diagnostic fee and if so can you share the cost?
 

TVM427 -Transition to electric vehicles (Evs) - 040226
A member authority would like to know what others have in terms of infrastructure and the impact this transition had on operational services who’s staff take vehicles home. 
Specifically, they would like to understand:
1.    Number of electric vehicles currently operated?
2.    What charging infrastructure you currently have?
3.    What are the main challenges regarding charging?
4.    How was the transition managed for staff who routinely take fleet vehicles home?
5.    Was any charging infrastructure installed at staff home addresses to support this change?
6.    How/are staff reimbursed for the energy costs associated with charging vehicles at home?
Any examples of policies, procedures, or best practice approaches would be greatly appreciated.
 

A member authority would like to know if any authorities have completed any promotion of electric vehicles? 
This could include:
⦁    any signposting to associated organisations/lenders
⦁    myth-busting 
⦁    campaigns and any design collateral

 

TVM425 - Dynamic Purchasing System for School Transport - 060226
We are looking at implementing a Dynamic Purchasing System to procure School Transport Contracts and would like to know what if any DPS other Authorities utilise for this?