AA Teccie (Paul)

Excellent news, I look forward to receiving it n then we can better guide you down the road to ARB Approved Contractor. Many thanks Paul

Think you've answered your own question there. It's about being competent / qualified (and insured) to do whatever tasks you're assigned and that fall within your realm of expertise, i.e. being professional. Many previous posts have concluded to the same effect. Cheers, Paul

Hi there, sorry but I'm not sure exactly what you're asking here? For the "full monty" on TPOs etc. see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-areas If however your question is about what do you require to see from the tree owner, essentially either a consent notice (dated within the last 2 years) if TPO'd or some form of official communication from the Council, again within the last 2 years, if the tree is within a Conservation Area. Remember "YOU" will commit the offence if you proceed without permission. Cheers, Paul

Hi all, Further details are now available on AA website, see Arboricultural Association - Membership Information Alternatively you can always email me [email protected] or reply here of course. Thanks all Paul

Shhhh, Gary can be a very sensitive Guy

Not totally sure of the "ins n outs" here (as not familiar with the intricacies 2012 regs) in terms of council tree TPO'd, a rare occurrence, but I understand if its CA they simply have to place a notice and if no objections they can then proceed...or similar. However, clearly the tree is dead and thereby excepted from the regs (if applicable) so the council could act accordingly, i.e. cut the tree down if they so wish / felt the need. Further, as a public body, they are ultimately answerable to their residents, collectively, and hence it would be reasonable for them to consult 'local' residents regardless. In terms of 'likelihood' of failure resulting in damage, and taking into account the likely size of the part that fails, probably upper stem section rather than the whole stick, I would be of the opinion it is low level. Doubtless the Beech to which you refer had leaves...a sail area? Just MY "thoughts out loud." Cheers, Paul

...and it looks a gud'un! So, with many more enquires received too, it would seem "the way is paved" Looking forward to more soon Cheers, Paul

Hi all, sorry for short(ish) notice here but if this FREE workshop event is of interest, which I hope it is, please join me. For further info and booking please see Arboricultural Association - Course Detail Hoping to see you there Paul PS Remember this is a 'no obligation' opportunity and you'll find out more about what being a compliant business means.

Hi John, and thanks again Ian for partaking here, and indeed putting things far more eloquently than I could...well at least much more to the point John I too understand what you're suggesting, and all that stuff is integral to the scheme, and very important too, but the scheme seeks to encompass all sectors, albeit it's strength (because of SSiP) is mainly in the commercial sector granted, and compliance is the order of the day...this of course applies equally in the domestic sector even though "Joe Public" doesn't ask about it...unfortunately, I think Cheers, Paul

:thumbup1: (thanks Ian.) Further, it really is achievable, particularly as a small business. As I mentioned in a previous post, so sorry if I'm laboring the point , but Affiliate Contractor Member is designed to help you put the stuff in place you need...which also helps the business too. Cheers, Paul

Hi there Alex, I can't readily guess who TBH and don't really understand the 'politics' reference Paul

Hi John, thanks for posting. As a small business, correspondingly the paperwork requirement is reduced AND the majority of what you need to complete and present is on the AA website. I wholly acknowledge your points here and you can, if you so wish but it isn't the most cost-effective option, undertake the assessment on a Modular basis so presenting the completed works and site works first but the paperwork will still need to follow. In reality, as a small business and at the initial assessment stage, the assessor has a certain amount of discretion to determine approval with follow up paperwork improvements. The Affiliate Contractor Member, is designed to help businesses such as yours to put stuff in place to achieve ARB Approval at a later date...actually within 2 years. Please consider this. Please try to get to one of the workshops when we can talk more...or give me a call sometime (07971 995351) Cheers, Paul

Cheers Ian, if I can I will...Tetley though yeah, none of that Yorkshire Tea stuff Thanks fer that, Paul

An interesting perspective on things. I do acknowledge that poor contractors do have something more to gain in terms of becoming better / good contractors via the scheme but I think you're probably referring to a different take on things. The reality is that in parts of the country where there aren't any ARbACs, or there are very few, we're keen to give applicant contractors every opportunity and time to improve to the final standards required by the scheme. Obviously if this isn't achieved by the time of the reassessment, i.e. 2 years on, we will review. We do market the scheme as an opportunity to "stand out from the (tree surgery) crowd", i.e. aimed at appealing to the good contractors to give the recognition they deserve but in saying this I do acknowledge some, well established and well respected contractors, probably have less to gain. I've pm'd you on the final matter. Thanks, Paul PS What time do you 'log off'?

Reet, ere'goes. Ian, respectfully, everyone knows someone, or 2 or 3, who've been ARB Approved and now aren't n the reasons are often the same...no-one asked for it. I live in S. Devon and about 12 years ago one of the big boy ArbACS won the Torbay Contract, which required ArbAC, and the smaller firms were understandably miffed. So, they, approx. 8, got ArbAC over the years and now local ArbACs have the Torbay Contract and several others including the Devon County Framework. Further others, even some home owners, ask for ArbAC because they've seen it around and know what it means. Hence "chicken n egg" scenario is why we need more contractors all over to become ArbAC. Re-using someone else's work as their own. I'm not saying this can't happen, and obviously it has, but there are checks in place to avoid this happening. Bottom line if someone is hell-bent on cheating then some parts of the scheme are vulnerable but it usually transpires at some stage. The being asked for CHAS / SAFEcontractor etc. is because buyers are familiar with it. Increasingly they're asking for SSiP of which ARbAC is a member AND a tree surgery specific member AND we're about so much more than just paperwork and a desktop audit. Exor & Constructionline are different requiring more than just H&S stuff but ArbAC fulfills this aspect. Trustmark, as a 'tree surgery' registered firm, is only available as ArbAC as we are the only tree surgery scheme operator. The circumstances surrounding the Bartlett's case that you mention are under review, yep "door, close, horse, bolted" BUT at the time the scheme rules tied our hands because HSE were involved which would have been the case whoever the contractor was. This will change in the future as we will reserve the right to temporarily suspend an ArbAC, pending HSE investigation and outcome, albeit very much as the exception and where the scheme reputation is deemed to be at risk. The phrase "lesson learned" comes to mind. As for the AA being "up its own...backside", I fully understand your frustrations as a member but the decision taken by the Board was to restrict logo use to the higher membership levels. Not all at the AA agreed but that is democracy. Ian, I know you're a professional, and I know you care, and I thank you for commenting here...and I'm in Yorkshire in mid-July along with my pen and clipboard Seriously "thank you" and I do acknowledge we've much work still to do to attract good contractors like you and many others onto the scheme Paul

Hi Ian, tis unlike you to be so forthright Sorry, just gotta pop out but will reply fuller later. Thanks for posting Paul

Hi Kevin, By 'AAAC' lite I presume you mean small business, i.e. "fewer than 5 employees" (which is the same as the 1-5 people business size including the employer.) FSB is available to AAACs but not included. Joining as an AAAC waives the FSB £30 registration fee, a "one-off" fee, and means the AA Charity Research Fund gets a £50 introduction fee (currently funding SRT research.) FSB membership costs from about £160 per year...payable to FSB. Do you possibly mean 'Trustmark Registered Firm' membership, which costs an additional £40 per year and can only be accessed, as a 'tree surgery business', via AAAC. Sorry, why do I always give complicated replies

What's the old adage about all publicity is good...even bad publicity. So, with the "warts and all" approach, yep we do have annual attrition from the scheme which is on average around 3% (about 6-8 per year.) There are various reasons for this including businesses sold, business who fold, businesses who retire and yes a few who don't feel they get any benefits...often these are business who have been less active than others in attracting new business and promoting themselves on the back of the approval. Thankfully, and of course because the scheme is a good place to be , we attract 'more' every year so growth, albeit has slowed, but is still upwards. The vast majority stick with the scheme year on year and often grow and expand their businesses...if that is their aspiration of course (I don't have specific 'facts n figures' here) but most seem quite happy and satisfied with the service we offer...that's not to say we couldn't do more but we do what we can with a relatively small resource (approx. 3 FTEs at Head Office.) Next 'searching' question please...but the reply will have to wait a little as I've been summonsed for a walk...by the dog . Cheers, Paul PS I know the scheme's weaknesses, and I know there's much work to do to raise awareness, but I believe we are moving in the right direction...we just need a few (lot) more helping hands to push us along.

PS Sorry, after my initial panic here I took a slug of coffee n calmed...n realized I'm not drawing a comparison in the context of status / standing really but more using the example to highlight "why" most people know about CORGI / GAS Safe, i.e. by seeing the logo on the vans (that's certainly why I know about it and having now asked the question at tens of workshops it seems true for many others.) So I'm not really comparing scheme for scheme, or at least not meaning to (apologies), and you're absolutely right that ARB Approved isn't, and never will be, a legal requirement and if I "overstate" it's status that's coz I believe in it and I know it helps businesses coz just about everyone that's gone through the process has told me so. Paul

Ooops, that's not a good start then reason I did so is because it's often cited to me "by comparison." This was in no way intended to mislead people about the ARB Approved Scheme and it's standing / status, i.e. a voluntary, industry 'best practice' standard scheme as opposed to a legally required status = "Top Trumped" all round. So, can we start again with the above context defined? (didn't mean to spoil yer BH Cheers, Paul

PS Here are the forthcoming FREE workshop events http://www.trees.org.uk/Training-And-Events/Course?id=4064C348-E789-4DAF-8918-C5C29CE6050E an opportunity to find out more (and to qualify for 25% discount on the initial assessment fee if you come along...and apply for assessment within 3 months.) PPS I know I've smelt Affiliate wrong...deliberate of course Cheers, Paul

Hi all, I hope you're well and having / had a good BH Weekend, albeit very variable weather...still, what else would we talk about? How's about why you're not ARB Approved...if I may be so blunt? I guess the answer from many / most is because you don't have t'be yeah. However, I'm sure many of the many of you would welcome an equivalent CORGI / GAS Safe Scheme to differentiate your business, skills, knowledge and competencies etc. and get the recognition you rightly deserve. Well, currently, ARB Approved is the best option that goes someway to achieving this and whilst we have some fantastic contractors on the scheme ("thank you"), and yes some who are still "work in progress" (also thank you), there's plenty of scope for more. (REMEMBER there's probably never going to be a Government lead requirement to be approved / accredited as we're simply not a significant enough, nor hazardous enough (except to "our own") industry and unless Labour get in de-regulation will remain the order of the (Tory) day ) The other reason many contractors tell me they don't become ARB Approved is because there's too much paperwork involved. The reality is "yes" there is paperwork involved but the amount varies dependent on the size of the business and the type of work / contracts you undertake (since 2011 the 'amount' for small businesses has been significantly reduced and that's why those in the 1-5 people and 6-9 people categories now account for almost 2/3rds of the 300 or so ARB Approved Contractors nationally.) The 'Affiliate Contractor Member' is an assessed (desk-top) membership category that goes 25-30% of the way towards ARB Approval and hence acts as a "stepping stone" guided and supported by us.(Cost is £250+VAT per year and this includes the £50 assessment fee at application.) Lastly, for now, if I may, can I challenge you to ask yourself "why" the general public knows about CORGI / GAS Safe? (yes I acknowledge it is a legal requirement and hence has a much higher status in that respect but has CORGI / GAS Safe ever written to you or been on main stream TV, or the broadsheets particularly...or is it because every van you see carries the logo...yours could be carrying the 'ARB Approved Contractor' logo and thereby helping the cause..!) Thanks for reading...and I hope you sleep well Cheers all n tc out there:thumbup1: Paul

:thumbup1: Paul

Hey Joe, great that you've had such a good training experience with Roland, as indeed many others have before. In order to get maximum exposure for your post you may wish to transfer it to three Climbers and or Training forums so more people will see it..Unless there's a particular reason you've posted here Cheers Paul

Pretty sure the old "Blue Book" advised 48hrs. Clearly many LAs are cash strapped and under resourced BUT that's not your clients fault. I would write to (email) the Arb Officer in question and ask for a confirmation within 5 days, perhaps citing the above and what's happened to date. If no response is forthcoming, and said VERY reluctantly, I would consider a formal complaint to the LA which may do the TO a favour indicating he/she is under resourced...perhaps. Good luck, Paul