RHA unhappy with RTITB's service
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IOAD HAULIERS are not getting value for money from the load Transport Industry Training Board, according to Road laulage Association director general George Newman. And e has told Employment Secretary James Prior that RHA euld do a better job itself, writes ALAN MILLAR.
In one of its strongestuorded criticisms so far, the IFIA has called for urgent eviews to be undertaken on the hoard's finances, especially Es administrative expenses and Es reserve fund.
According to Mr Newman: "While road haulage companies vithin the Board's scope are :ompelled to reduce expendi ture in order to survive, the board not only receives higher levy income as a result of annual wage increases, but also remains seemingly immune from any of the financial restrictions or pressures which the industry is facing.'" He cites recently published use of levy money to meet the cost of "inflation-proof salaries for a large number of staff".
Mr Newman says it is wrong that employers should not be denied what is, in effect, their own money when it is needed to support such vital training as that of long-term apprentices or young heavy goods vehicle drivers.
The RHA says it sees merits in transferring the Board's functions to the joint RHA /Group Training Association activities, but says it would be happy if the Board's activities were confined to advice, consultancy and research. The industry, says Mr Newman, should fend for itself in providing training facilities.
RHA believes this would benefit taxpayers as well as employers and employees within the industry.
It also is keen that the levy/ grant scheme should be reduced rapidly by giving operators an incentive to disengage from the system. "This would improve the board's relationship with the industry and would create a better climate in which to give advice."
And it adds: "The levy/grant scheme is not relevant to the needs of most small firms in the road haulage industry."
Mr Newman has told Mr Prior: "The main aims of the Industrial Training Board system were to stimulate increasingly better training in industry and to share the cost of training. It was not intended to impose a permanent educational bureaucracy on industry."
The RTITB's finance and general purposes committee was meeting yesterday (Friday) to discuss the RHA complaints.