Call Sign October 2009 - Page 16 - Compliance Officers Update - COMMEMORATING THE ONLY BRITISH PM TO BE ASSASSINATED

Compliance Officers Update
*Hello Ladies & Gents,* Now that the holiday season has come to an end and schools are back, our taxi work should definitely begin to pick up. August did not see as many tourists as one might have hoped for, especially as the euro and dollar were so strong against UK currency. Unfortunately the swine flu scare erupted and that didn’t help, however most of the regular accounts are certainly now beginning to get back to the levels that we would have envisaged. Attempting to take advantage over fellow subscribers… Over the past few months, the system has been constantly monitored and this next period will be no different. All drivers that are found to be violating any of the current procedure rules will be dealt with and the appropriate complaints will be issued if they are justified. Booking in to zones and ranks incorrectly and hanging up for regular trips are two common complaints and quite honestly, after numerous warnings, there really are no excuses. Our trip loggers and GPS tracking are both precise and very accurate and any misdemeanours are easily	substantiated. The complaints committee are not easily swayed if the evidence is there. EC5 and LAP You are all by now aware that when EC5 is operative, you must physically be in one of the four city zones (EC1, EC2, EC3 and EC4) and also please be mindful that when the trip is actually offered to you, your position should still be within the relevant boundaries of the four postal zones in question. Recently we have hade a number of members asking for clarification on booking in procedures at Heathrow Airport. Can I please remind you that you must be within the perimeter of the airport before booking in to gain a queue position. The daytime controllers are again regularly monitoring this zone and anyone that books in from areas outside of	the perimeter (eg Heston or Feltham) will almost certainly have to answer a complaint. Rules are rules and they are there for everyone, so please work within them. Goldman Sachs rank Finally and to prevent any misunderstanding, can I remind you again about the rank that services Goldman Sachs. When EC5 is not in operation, this rank in St Bride Street is EC10 and operates between 06.00 and 20.50. After 20.50 when EC5 takes over, you are quite within the rules to book into EC5 and then have the option of a trip offer through the system as well as a G/S walk-up from the rank itself. During other periods of the day, EC10 is a physical rank in St Brides Street and not – as some drivers seem to believe - by St Pauls Cathedral. All Ranks and any changes to procedures updates are listed in the drivers manual and can be found online via the Dial a Cab website at www.dialacab.co.uk. Just follow the link to the Members Portal and then Drivers Manual. Allan Evans DaC Compliance Officer

British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval COMMEMORATING THE ONLY BRITISH PM TO BE ASSASSINATED
On the evening of 11 May 1812, Prime Minister Spencer Perceval (1762 – 1812) was on his way to a meeting at the House of Commons. As he entered the lobby of the House, a man stepped forward, drew a pistol and shot him in the chest. Perceval died almost immediately. The assassin, John Bellingham, made no attempt to escape and was later found to be a man with an obsessive grievance against the government’s "poor money handling." Perceval lived at Elm Grove, Ealing Common during his three years as PM and the borough is laying on a series of special events to commemorate the 200th anniversary of him becoming PM in 1809. Among the events are: An evening of words and music to mark the 200th anniversary him becoming PM…	This is by the Ealing Symphony Orchestra and Ealing North MP, Stephen Pound, who will talk on Perceval the Parliamentarian. A plaque from the Ealing Civic Society in honour of Spencer Perceval will be unveiled. The evening is on 3 October 2009 from 7 – 9.30pm at the All Saints Church, Elm Grove Rd, Ealing Common. Admission Ł4. Tickets 0208 992 2333… Spencer Perceval and All Saints Church… A new exhibition about the life of Perceval and the building of his memorial church, All Saints, including rarely seen exhibits. From 3 October 2009 to 3 January 2010, 11am to 4pm at Gunnersbury Park Museum, Popes Lane Acton. Admission free… The Perceval family in 19th century Ealing…	British PM Spencer Perceval was assassinated in May 1812
		A guided heritage walk led by local historian, Paul Fitzmaurice, from All Saints to Pitzhanger Manor – the ‘Dream House’ designed by Sir John Soane - on 8 October. Times are 10.30am to 1.15pm. Ł2 includes refreshments at Pitzhanger Manor. Booking: Dr Jonathan Oates on 020 8825 8194. If you never realised that a British Prime Minister had been assassinated, some or all of these events may interest you…

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