British Telecom has compromised with union representatives on a new pay package for its members. The parties could not reach agreement on a one or two-year deal, but have instead shaken hands on a 39-month deal until March 2013. The company said the deal will cement wage stability at BT for several years.
High farce took place at some polling venues during May’s general election. There were reports of voters being turned away in many towns and cities (including Sheffield, Birmingham and Liverpool) because too many people turned up than could be coped with.
Crime rates went down at the Glastonbury Festival for the second year in a row. There were a total of 393 reported crimes at the music experience compared to 445 last year. Of these, 230 were thefts from tents at the west country venue. Avon and Somerset police said these were low figures considering there were more than 170,000 people at the Pilton site.
The number of police on street patrol would be reduced in the wake of the government’s public sector spending cuts, one of Britain’s most senior police officers warned. "Sadly we will lose people," Sir Hugh Orde said ahead of his speech to the association’s annual conference.
A football supporter was arrested for trespass when he reached the England World Cup dressing room unchallenged. Pavlos Joseph, 32, said later he found himself in the changing room after being given wrong directions at the Green Point stadium where he says he met former England soccer captain David Beckham. He said he told Beckham following the disappointing Algeria draw: "David, we’ve spent a lot of money getting here. This is a disgrace.
Biometric and Smart Card Access Control systems from Access Control UK control the Smart Card scanner settings associated to a particular access point. The stand alone or PC based systems are installed using the best service and attention to safety rules, with the result that Access Control UK and the company that owns it, Tensor plc, have gained a certificate for their top health and safety (H&S) standards.
A crackdown on crime using ‘bobbies on the beat’ has gained overwhelming support from a community. Because this drive allowed the public to come into contact with officers on foot patrol, 72 per cent of those surveyed said it improved their local area.
Security fears are among doubts expressed about plans for a new train station in Leeds. British Transport Police are one of the bodies who have objected to the development at Kirkstall. Councillors are set to give the green light for the station on the edge of the 56-acre Kirkstall Forge site, with parking and landscaping. Police have raised concerns over vulnerable cycle sheds, canopy/lifts encouraging loitering and the potential for anti-social behaviour.
The London Olympics 2012 site, one of the biggest construction projects held in recent times in the United Kingdom, has had a few problems including a delay in implementing its security measures. Originally there were plans to introduce the latest face recognition and fingerprint access control technology controlling entry to the 2012 site at the earliest possible opportunity.
Current figures suggest that identity fraud costs the UK £1.7bn a year, and it is the fastest growing white collar crime, so your company is correct to be concerned. A major worry would be clever thieves gaining unauthorised access to your site, whether by posing as bogus workmen or using more direct methods like breaking in.