AOS Conference Conference incoming! Louise Parfitt looks ahead to how the AOS Conference now scheduled for April will help support members e thought the transition to the Private Parking Code of Practice would begin last year. However, with its withdrawal, pending a review of the level of parking charge and debt-recovery fee, this didnt happen. We believe publication of the Code will happen this autumn, so this years AOS Conference will be important in helping members to be prepared. Head of Conformity Assessment Body transition, Sara Roberts, is busy preparing for the conference, which has been moved to April. This is because Roberts has been told by government that it will publish its draft impact assessment review into private parking and open a public consultation in March. Moving the date of the conference will enable the team to better support members to respond. This is the final chance for our members and their clients to make their voices heard about the valuable service that parking management offers, and the need for parking charge levels and the debt-recovery fees to be a sufficient and effective deterrent, Roberts says. It is important that everyone engages. The conference will provide members with information to help them do that. W Getting ready For Roberts and the rest of the AOS team, 26 the conference will also be important for helping members get ready for clauses in the Code that are unlikely to change as a result of the consultation. For example, we know that mandatory training for staff will be a requirement, so one of the sessions, run by our head of operations and business development, Sara Fisher, will look at the training that operators need to have in place for their employees, Roberts explains. There will also be a demonstration of one of the free training modules and the learning management system available to our Approved Operators. We will showcase the Approved Operator hub that we have created to support members, so they know where to find answers to the questions they have and further help. Gemma Dorans, operational services team customer services manager (see pages 36-37), will examine early implementation and provide an update on Clause 11 of the Code, which is all about complaints handling. We will look at the power of data from a Code perspective as well, adds Roberts. Community support Former BPA President and parking consultant John McArdle will facilitate this years conference, which has been kept as a virtual event again to enable as many members as possible to attend. Important information When: Thursday 20 April 2023 What: 10.30: Conference welcome 10.45: Private Parking Code of Practice update and government consultation process 12.30: Lunchtime sponsored session (to be confirmed at time of writing) 13:45: M andatory training; AOS hub info and other resources 14:45: C ode of Practice implementation and planning for the next changes 16:00: Closing comments How: To find out more, and to register, go to britishparking.co.uk/BPAAOS-Conference We are all still unsure as to what the final outcomes of the consultation will be, but together, as a community, we can support each other, says Roberts. The BPA is here to help you prepare. We look forward to seeing you at the conference and will continue to keep you updated on any developments and support you via regular webinars and information on the AOS Hub.