Soupy,
This is a work in progress, with running my window cleaning round and trying to establish another 2 part time businesses, I am only able to devout 3 or 4 hours a week to this matter.
The scottish government set up a task group in 2002 to review licensing, this was a golden opportunity for window cleaners to have their say, but I don't think it was publicised enough as the only respondents from the window cleaning industry were the FWC and 2 window cleaners.
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2002/07/15094/8708The above was the document related to the review, I have in my possession the responses from all councils, organisations and individuals who responded, thanks to Davies Park and Doug Atkinson who took the time to go to edinburgh to get these documents for me. I may have to go back there myself though as they didn't realise there was another section of the responses on enforcement that we forgot to copy.
I am currently corresponding with the department within the scottish government who have the power to grant another review, however before they will consider it I am having to do loads of research and then to lodge a report requesting a review with them.
I am currently trying to do this single handed, but hoping my sons girlfriend who has just passed her law degree at Aberdeen Uni, will be able to help with the legal stuff, hopefully for free.
One task I am going to have to get round to soon is contacting all the councils again for info, on things such as license numbers, fees, length of license, enforcement procedures, conditions of licensing, etc.
I am also interested to hear from as many window cleaners as possible, licensed or unlicensed with their views on licensing and what changes they would like to system. I will make a separate post on this next week.
My personal view on licensing is that it is retained, but control of it is removed from the local authorities and run by a separate government department at national level or as a sub division within police Scotland.
With the merging of the old police forces and formation of a single body, Police Scotland, there is no longer any need for a window cleaner who needs multiple licenses to have to apply to several councils for the same police background check to be carried out several times. One police check should be sufficient to clear you to operate throughout Scotland, on one license. There are also variations of conditions and application requirements required by different councils, ie a minor conviction can get you a licence in one area but not in another..there are to many differences to list here, they should all be combined and simplified.
Types of licenses are a big issue as well..one year, 3 years, but no temporary license so that you can work during the application process which could take 21 days to 6 months to complete and the fees vary across the country from less than £50 upto £400.
Major changes are needed
