OK, I have decided.
I would definitely vote NO.
Although it is a good idea in principle.
1st reason: licensing basically hands control of our livelihoods over to the local councils.
I could imagine the following happening:
hose pipe ban and councils/water companies etc come under fire for wasting water and get put under public pressure to do something instead of sitting on their backsides.
Now before, they could not stop a window cleaner working, only insist that he doesnt use water from the mains supply.
If they had licensing, they could scream emergency and suspend all window cleaning licenses, thereby preventing us from working. If questioned they would come out with the old "well its either that or we all go thirsty" crap. Also who is going to fight effectively for us if that happened. there is nobody. This is just an example to do with drought, it could be any other thing that comes along.
I do not like it. I dont like the way it all of a sudden gives councils the power to allow or to stop window cleaning as an activity if it suits them.
2nd reason
As far as I have been able to tell from the scottish system, the license entitlement as nothing at all to do with claiming benefits and is never cross-checked. Therefore it would not combat those who do window cleaning while claiming benefits, which is pretty much the whole point.
3rd reason
The criteria for getting a license seems to be very vague. Basically if some police bloke thinks your worthy. I do not think that is right. I would like to see the specific reasons why someone would be refused, not just because some copper makes a judgement. Not transparent enough for me.
No offense to the police, but they are there to enforce the law, not to act like some kind of grand supreme judge who can decided who is fit to run a particular business. I've known lots of coppers, and in the main they are decent blokes, but there are also some corrupt ones and little hitlers, just like any walk of life.
4th reason
Having a different license for EVERY area? That is just ridiculous. If the system cannot work without us having to pay several times for the same thing, then in my opinion it should NOT be used. This is totally ludicrous. I can imagine some people being granted a license in one area but refused it in another.
5th Reason
Who will police this? Will the money raised from the fees go to help policing it? As far as I have seen, most scottish window cleaners are constantly moaning that it isnt policed and therefore the whole thing is just an extra cost for legit businesses. The dossers flout the law and nobody cares, so whats the point? I have seen nothing to convince me that things would be any different in England.
So, they are my reasons for saying NO.
Out of interest Doug, why do you want to bring licensing to England? I would guess that, in spite of this pole (which I dont think is a fair sample of all window cleaners) most of us here would not want it, but that is just my opinion.
Not what I think, but some might say that rather than an effort to raise the standards in the industry, some would say that this is a "well we have to put up with it so why shouldn't you English" crusade?
-Mike Tennet
Poll