Absolutely. But. We’re at a point where OCs and CivComs word isn’t enough; there a lack of trust. “Safety assurance” and “oversight” are being banded about by Wgs and Rgs with threats of not signing off events unless you can evidence X, Y and Z of your SOV, you cannot use it to transport cadets. This could offer that oversight.
Yes. More work. But it’s going to be more work for as long as HQs get twitchy about such things.
From an OC’s point of view it would be helpful for me to have an accessible tracker for it that isnt an excel spreadsheet printed and stuck on my wall…
@Giminion Pretty much the only reason sqn cttes have access to SMS is lack of trust from civ com to sqns for reporting the correct number of cadets for 6 monthly subs. The subs module however, isn’t fit for purpose either. There is literally no other reason for them to have access. Besides, SMS is on its way out. FYI Wg chair/treasurers do not have SMS access currently.
@Batfink Having a separate web app for cttes would reinforce a clear separation of concerns for what constitutes ctte business and what is sqn business. HQ Digital/VSDT only develop features to policy so this would make it even clearer if it was split out.
Running and maintaining the minibus is a matter for the committee yes. But being able to check that it is being done properly before putting the cadets on it is a matter for the OC because HQAC want these assurances before approving the travel. No one is suggesting extra work for CFAV by this proposal, the work is already required. What’s being suggested is a streamlined process to make that admin easier
It’s the difference between having access to SMS, and them actually using it… But that’s not the topic here.
Im a massive fan of a one system approach. We use SMS or units or what ever its going to be called going forwards for qualifcation and safety assurance, so using it for SOV assurance from a DDH perspective makes complete logical sense… Being able to link all this data could make event approval standardised and streamlined.
Sometimes this forum creates a diamond idea.
No it isnt.
Running events as reg civ com is just one that comes to mind.
That sounds like a very specific issue… But anyway, does the Wing Committee not request the amount required? I’m not sure how this can be a problem.
Principle applies equally to Units.
And that’s relevant to a function for adminning SOVs on a sqn because…
Except if I had an SOV, it would benefit me for sqn business to have sight of the upkeep of the minibus at a glance to check that the committee business that affects sqn business is up to scratch. It would feature in my risk assessment to check, and having it on SMS/Units would be an easy way for that to happen.
Diamonds are created when you subject ordinary carbon to severe amounts of high pressure over a very long time. I love methaphors sometimes 
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Going back to the IBN - off the back of it, I have now had an email from the region H&S Advisor asking to confirm latest details & then we our SOV is compliant with the IBN. However it’s only been sent to those who declared they had an SOV so if you got a new one since then you’re not on the list.
Oh and the form to complete the return in is incompatible as it’s open office. 
That’s inexcusable considering you can save to .doc in open office. But they shouldn’t be using open office, don’t we get access to office 365 through our RAFAC account?
It would…if they hadn’t absolved themselves of responsibility. As it stands the regional commandant doesn’t assure the vehicles or hold the risk for them.
We had the situation a while ago we we had gliding at Upavon given to us and as we’re over 110 miles away to get there for 09:00 meant taking 1 x SOV - 3 x drivers and a party of cadets and getting up at 05:30. We left at 17:00 and got back at 20:00. Now - just no chance wouldn’t attempt it - just too dangerous taking P/cars. The management simply have no idea of the dangers of taking up the option up in private cars - wouldn’t happen now. They just so removed from the coal face it’s like they are on a different planet.
Well I’ve just seen a post on the outdoor freelance Facebook page from someone selling their squadron’s minibus and they specified it’s not financially viable because of the new cadet rules!
Was always going to happen, now cadets have even less opportunities, trips to the Museum at Cosford, BBMF or Duxford or an airshow such as Southport for instance or one Squadron I’ve seen at an evening aviation society meeting some 20+miles from their unit.
I would like to point out that the IBN was originally released in 2020 - so these rules are not new! With the exception of vehicles over 10 years of age (which require a safety inspection every 6 weeks instead of 3 monthly), that is the only financial liability change that I am aware of. Our local workshop charges us £30 per inspection. So that is £240 per year for old vehicles and £120 for newer ones.
The main concern we had was over the liability transferring from RAFAC to CivCom - we decided to keep the vehicle and mitigate the risk with more thorough procedures / training / record keeping with CivCom oversight.
That being said, there area LOT of regulations to have an SOV!
These requirements are older than the IBN and have been on the Gov UK website for vehicles driven under a P19 for a long time.
We just seemed to be ignoring the law as there was no understanding other than you need a P19.
Interestingly with our SOV we ditched the RAFAC excemptions and went purely down what the legislation has said. In the ten or so years we’ve had our minibus we’ve only had Ministry transport P19.
The changes introduced by the IBN haven’t been that onerous to us - just the vehicle checks which had been an extra admin pain.
In 2020 the country came to a halt, so the effects wouldn’t be felt until recently.
How quickly I appear to have forgotten about Covid 
What about the sqns that don’t have SOVs … what do we do?
We do the things that some suggest they won’t be able to do if they don’t have a SOV.
We may hire a minibus, go in cars or combination. For 3 or 4 times a year hiring is cheaper and less aggro than owning a SOV.
How many sqns nationally have a SOV by which I mean more than 9 seater? In our wing its around a quarter of sqns.