The Control Room — Issue 2

Welcome back. Subscriber list ticked up since Issue 1 — thanks for sharing it on. Five minutes, straight in.

The SIA has published the findings from its Business Approval Scheme (BAS) consultation — and the direction of travel is clear: the Approved Contractor Scheme, in place since 2006, is set to give way to a successor.

BAS isn't a rebrand; it's a fundamental redesign of how business approval works. Where ACS has traditionally focused heavily on process audits and documentation — the classic tick-box annual assessment — BAS shifts the lens towards outcomes. What does this business actually deliver on the ground? How does its performance hold up under scrutiny?

The new model is being designed as a tiered scheme, with a stronger focus on risk and how businesses actually perform in practice. Higher-risk operators are likely to face more intensive oversight, while well-performing companies receive more proportionate treatment.

405 responses came in during the consultation. The industry broadly backed the direction. The SIA plans a second consultation on the final design, and intends to launch the new scheme during the 2026/27 business year.

Why does this matter to you right now? If your employer holds ACS approval, this is the direction of the framework that's expected to govern how they're assessed in future. The criteria will change, and the audit process is likely to change with them. Getting ahead of it — understanding what outcome-based compliance looks like in your operation — puts you in a stronger position than scrambling when the new scheme lands.

Key takeaway: Find out if your company is ACS-approved. If they are, start asking your management team what their BAS transition plan looks like.

From 1 April 2026, any Close Protection operative renewing their SIA licence must complete the Level 2 Award for Close Protection Operatives (Refresher), and hold a valid Level 3 first aid qualification (FAW or equivalent) before their renewal will be processed. This is no longer upcoming guidance; as of this month it is in effect.

Worth flagging: an Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) certificate is not accepted for CP renewals — it must be the full Level 3. Easy mistake to make if you've recently done an EFAW course for another role.

If you supervise a mixed team or manage a control room that coordinates CP deployments, this has a direct rostering implication. An operative whose licence expires and who hasn't completed the refresher is undeployable — full stop. Audit your team's SIA expiry dates now and flag anyone due to renew in the next three months.

Fix: Pull your team's licence expiry dates this week. One hour of admin now prevents a staffing gap at the worst possible moment.

Pre-shift briefings have a habit of becoming routine to the point of uselessness. "Stay alert, report anything suspicious" isn't a briefing — it's noise. The most effective control room supervisors brief specifically: what's the known threat today, what's the venue profile, what's already been flagged from the previous shift, what's the one thing I need my team sharp on right now.

Specific briefings create specific awareness. Generic briefings create the illusion of it.

Bottom line: If your team could have heard the same briefing six months ago, it wasn't a briefing — it was a formality.

SIA publishes Business Approval Scheme consultation findings — GOV.UK

The official SIA page summarising consultation responses and the road to BAS launch. Worth bookmarking if you're in a supervisory or management role.

Thanks for reading. If you found this useful, forward it to one colleague who'd benefit — that's how this grows.

Until next Tuesday.

Andras
Control Room Supervisor & Deputy Security Operations Manager
The Control Room