Scout Groups must apply for whats called a section 19 permit which is a form of Operators Licence that exempts them from assorted CPC and similar bits and bobs. Reproduced as below. Your contracted employer will not have such an exemption and thus full PCV requirements come into play....
Minibus Permit - Section 19 Permit
IMPORTANT: You need a permit for a Scout Group Minibus
Why do we need a permit?
Any organisation that charges for providing transport (the legal term is to operate "for hire or reward") will normally be regarded as a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operator. It would be a serious offence to do so without a PSV operator's licence.
The interpretation of charging for providing transport includes any payment in cash or kind which gives passengers the right to be carried. This specifically includes a payment to a club (e.g. subs to a Scout Group) that entitles you to travel free in the clubs transport even if the payment is not related to that particular journey.
Permit issued under Section 19 of the Transport Act 1985 allow certain non-profit organisations to charge for transport services without a PSV licence. The transport must only be for the organisation's own members or for groups the organisation serves.
Permit vehicles cannot be run as part of an activity that is itself carried on to make a profit and any charges must only cover running costs.
Vehicles that can carry fewer than 9 passengers do not require a permit even if the passengers pay.
How do we get a Section 19 Permit?
Permits are issued by a number of designated bodies who can issue to their member organisations. The Scout Association is one of the designated bodies so you should apply for your permit through them.
The permit is issued to a specific group, in our case the Scout Group. There is a small charge for issuing a Section 19 permit.
What do I get and what do I do with it?
For each permit granted a disc is issued. When a vehicle is being used under the permit the disc must be fixed to the inside of the windscreen so that it can be easily seen from outside the vehicle but does not obstruct the drivers view of the road.
You may move a disc from one vehicle to another, but if you wish to run more than one bus at any one time you will require a permit for each bus. Discs may also be used in this way for hire vehicles.
How long is the permit valid for?
There is no time limit on a permit and you will generally keep it indefinitely.
However the permit can be revoked or the conditions changed at any time by the Scout Association or the Traffic Commissioner if he informs the Scout Association. If the Scout Association stops issuing Section 19 Permits existing permits would cease to be valid.
What charges am I allowed to make?
You can set charges at a level to recover some or all of the costs of running the vehicle and may include an allowance for vehicle depreciation. This can not include the wages of any staff involved.
Charges must not be enough to make any profit even if it goes back into other running costs or charitable purposes.
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Topic: Question about PCV? (Read 1187 times)