by Miles Brignall • The Vehicle Inspectorate is looking at
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"imaginative" ways of increasing its funding, including sponsorship from within the haulage industry.
VI chief executive Ron Oliver says he wants to stimulate an open debate on how the VI can increase its funding from sources other than Government. "The industry through its trade asscodations has told us in the past it would be willing to put more money into enforcement," he says. "We are now starting to look at how this can be achieved."
The sort of measures that might be considered include allowing firms to donate extra funds with their Operators' Licence fees to go towards roadside enforcement. Cars or other equipment such as computers could be sponsored by interested organisations.
Several police forces have recently been allowed to fund cars and buildings via sponsorship within Government guidelines. Police forces are currently allowed to derive 1% of their expenditure from sponsorship.
Oliver says that strict Treasury rules combined with a promise by the new Government to maintain tight controls on public expenditure mean that the VI's official funding is unlikely to increase, so it's time to look at the options.