Great fleet idea – but how do you make it happen?

A vital reality check showing how to overcome obstacles to change will be provided Arend Mouton, Fleet Manager for the City of London Police, who has been confirmed the final top level speaker at the Future Fleet Forum on June 29^th.

While other speakers will be showing delegates the opportunities that lie ahead, he will draw on his experiences of introducing change to provide an invaluable insight into the sorts of issues that rise and how to deal with them.

As well as running the City of London Police fleet for almost 10 years, Arend Mouton is the Secretary for the National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) and part of its Strategic Development Group.

All UK police forces are members of NAPFM which represents a combined fleet size of more 43,000 vehicles. And the NAPFM is at the cutting edge of emergency vehicle engineering and procurement.

He says: 'Making major changes to the way we work is a bit like contact sport: everyone walks away with some level of bruising. But we all need to understand and accept that nothing ever remains the same.

'In 2007 I managed the outsourcing of the City of London Police vehicle workshop to the City of London Corporation, melting it with their Cleansing Services operation. Then, when City of London outsourced its Waste Collection, Street Cleansing and Ancillary Services ' which included maintenance of our police fleet ' we tendered and contracted to an outside agency.

'All told, it took seven years to achieve, the last two of which were dealing with staff issues. But now I can vouch that it really works and the experience has been invaluable.

'At the NAPFM we have been at the forefront of emergency vehicle engineering and procurement, with our activity ranging from exchanging specifications and best-value-outcomes to standardising vehicle specifications and aggregating buying volumes.

'This has culminated recently in the creation of two purchasing groups covering the UK using innovative procurement methodology, such as a lifecycle-based e-auctions and cost assessment based on whole-life-cost, while reducing the maximum permissible CO₂ emissions from vehicles.'

Arend Mouton will draw on this wealth of experience to illustrate the reality of outsourcing vehicle maintenance contracts, highlighting such huge and widespread issues as dealing with embedded working cultures, the emotional memories of existing staff and the introduction of new blood.

The full programme for Future Fleet Forum, at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on June 29^th can be seen here.

To take advantage of special FREE delegates place offer by emailing Ann-Marie Knegt.