Doorstaff regulator the Security Industry Authority (SIA) says it’s continuing to improve the efficiency of its service as it reported a deficit of £119,000 for 2010/2011.
The body, which had been criticised in the past for slow service, reported that 93% of licence applications were processed within 30 days - against a target of 80% - in the most recent financial year.
Seven out of 10 doorstaff received their licence within 15 days or less, and customer satisfaction was 80% (target: 75%).
A high level of compliance with the SIA regime was also reported. Quarterly random operations across the country during the year found that 98% of security staff were properly licensed - the target figure was 90%.
However, several targets were missed. It missed the target of competing 95% of partner information exchange requests within 10 working days; the final figure was 81%.
The SIA attributed its deficit in 2010/2011 to the three-year licensing cycle that meant that in 2010/2011 fewer doorstaff paid their fees.
Income from licence fees fell from £33.821m to £26.486m this year. Overall income was £10m less than in 2009/2010, when a surplus of £0.96m was reported (2008/2009: £2.99m surplus).
It also had a one-off exceptional cost of £151,000 for introducing the SIA regime into Northern Ireland.
The SIA made over £4m in cost savings over the year, as part of the Government’s austerity measures, with additional savings of £1.7m through the new managed service contract with BT. “These initiatives have ensured that the SIA has remained fully self-financing in 2010/2011,” the group said.
The SIA is set to be abolished by the end of 2013, with legislation due to be brought forward in the next Parliament. The body is leading a taskforce to examine proposals to move to a different licensing regime under the so-called Change Blueprint.
Chief executive Bill Butler’s salary remained the same, £120,000-£125,000, on a pro rata basis (he was not full time in the previous results). Chair Ruth Henig’s salary was also frozen at £65,000-£70,000.
In a joint statement for the SIA’s Annual Report, Henig and Butler said: “The continuing impact of the economic downturn and the political changes following the General Election meant that 2010/11 was a demanding year for individuals and businesses subject to SIA regulation and for the SIA itself.
“We are pleased that we have been able to maintain the high standards of service and compliance we have set in recent years, while taking rigorous action financially to enable us to finish the year with a small deficit after the exceptional item.
“In addition, we have made good progress, working with ministers and the industry, for the phased transition to a new regulatory regime in line with the Government’s proposals. Our framework for the future has been accepted by ministers and we are preparing for the new legislation that the Government intends to bring forward.”
