text:
Guide to MOT risk reduction
Updated 22 November 2017
© Crown copyright 2017
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-mot-risk-reduction/your-guide-to-mot-risk-reduction
About this Guide
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has produced this Guide to provide an introduction to the running of a Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) regardless of its location, business size or what class of vehicles are tested.
The systems explained in this Guide are useful for Authorised Examiners (AEs), testers and all those who are responsible for providing support or assistance in the operation of a compliant VTS. This guidance will apply if you perform your own site assessments, contract out some of your management and quality management systems, or a combination of both.
DVSA periodically assesses every VTS to gauge its potential risk of non-compliance with the MOT service requirements. This will involve an unannounced visit to your VTS by a site assessor who will look for evidence of systems and practices that will reduce the potential risk of non-compliance. This Guide gives some best practice advice on systems and how to evidence them. For more information on the scoring process please refer to the separate publication, Site Assessment Risk Scoring Guide.
New Authorised Examiners
If you are a new AE, you will find advice on how to devise, establish quality management systems to monitor MOT standards and procedures to ensure that your customers get the correct MOT result.
Established Authorised Examiners
If you are an established or experienced AE, you will be able to use this Guide as a benchmark to assess whether your current systems are sufficient or should be reviewed and improved, to ensure that your MOT operation's being run correctly and testers are are arriving at the correct result.
Best practice
To ensure best practice, you will need to combine good quality work and assessments with supervision and effective management. The ultimate test will be whether or not the customer has been provided with the correct test outcome for the condition of their vehicle at a compliant VTS.
Following a site assessment visit by a DVSA examiner, the AE will receive a notification and the site roles for that VTS to let them know that the assessment's been conducted. Any comments or advice resulting from the visit should be reviewed and actioned.
Maintenance of this Guide
DVSA reserves the right to modify the content of this Guide to reflect changes in the MOT service requirements and in light of experience and feedback. The definitive copy of this document is available online at https://www.gov.uk/become-an-mot-station/meeting-ongoing-standards and will be updated as changes take place. If you prefer to use paper documents, you should ensure these are updated as soon as possible after the online version has changed.
Doing it your way
DVSA recognises that a VTS can be managed effectively and your site operated in a compliant manner, by using systems and methods different to the ones described within this Guide. However, if you use a different system, you must satisfy yourself and the site assessor that it is effective in assisting you to operate your VTS correctly.
What this Guide contains
This Guide refers to written records, reports, planners and other documentation. As a general principle, computer records are acceptable provided that they contain the information described. This information can be viewed by or shared with the site assessor.
Getting it right
DVSA recognises that AEs will not get everything right all the time. However, we do want you to be vigilant and responsible. The penalties and consequences of non-compliance to you and/or your tester and the general public can range from the inconvenient to the very serious. This Guide has been produced to help you to identify and resolve any areas for concern in your management of your VTS.
Availability of this Guide and other site assessment related material
These are only available online at: https://www.gov.uk/become-an-mot-station/meeting-ongoing-standards
Using this Guide
This Guide is laid out in four sections, each covering the questions which come under the following general areas:
|Vehicle Testing Station
This guide should be used in conjunction with:
- the Site Assessment Risk Scoring Guide
- MOT Testing Guide
- the relevant MOT Inspection Manuals, which detail the methods of inspection and reasons for rejection used for MOT testing
- Special Notices (SNs) issued periodically by DVSA to inform testers and AEs involved with MOT testing about changes to MOT service requirements and to highlight areas of concern
- any other relevant MOT guidance issued by DVSA
Self assessment
AE representatives are advised to assess their own site against the criteria contained in the Site Assessment Risk Scoring Guide. Appendix 11 of this document contains an aide memoire that will enable you to assess your own site, score your findings and record what actions may be required as a result. All actions should be remedied as soon as practical and documented.
How to contact us
MOT testing service desk
Contact the MOT testing service if you or your site experience a system fault with the MOT testing service on telephone number 0330 123 5654.
The MOT testing service desk will operate between the hours of 07:30 to 20:00 (Monday to Friday) and 08:00 to 14:00 (Saturday).
Calls to this number are provided by BT and are charged at a local rate. Charges from other providers may vary. Your call may be monitored or recorded for lawful purposes or training.
Note: If you are unable to contact the MOT testing service desk, you should contact the DVSA customer service centre.
DVSA customer service centre
The DVSA customer service centre (0300 123 9000) provides support between the hours of 07:30 - 18:00, Monday to Friday. All callers may use this service to record:
- technical enquiries regarding any of the services operated by DVSA
- queries regarding the methods of inspection or reasons for rejection applied to vehicles under test
- complaints about the service provided by DVSA
- complaints regarding the quality or outcome of a recent MOT test
Calls to this number are provided by BT and are charged at a local rate. Charges from other providers may vary. Your call may be monitored or recorded for lawful purposes or training.
Useful web links
- Covers the Requirements for Authorisation for a VTS or AE
- Contains electronic copies of the MOT Testing Guide (6th edition) and inspection manuals
- Enables users to check their MOT status and test history
- Provides MOT site assessment documents
You can reduce your risk score if you:
- regularly review your VTS in relation to DVSA's Site Assessment Risk Scoring Guide
- implement effective systems that will prevent non-compliance
- manage quality control frequency in relation to the vehicle age profile of your VTS
- promptly address any compliance issues identified during your site assessment
- keep your passwords, security cards and personnel data secure
- maintain clean and usable customer areas
- ensure that all public notices and information signs are clearly visible, accurate and in good condition
- actively manage all your workshop activities
- implement a readily retrievable document system
- use an effective vehicle handover process
- understand how and when MOT service changes will impact on your business
- make sure your staff understand and implement MOT service changes
- make sure all relevant staff understand contingency testing procedures
- actively retain experienced staff
- base staff incentive schemes on quality
- use an effective quality management system that delivers improvements in :
- MOT standards
- procedures
- producing the correct test outcome to the customer
- document your staffs training requirements and implement requirements
- clearly define work areas to enable efficient working practices
- organise the layout of your tools, equipment and consumables
- keep work areas clean, tidy and free from hazards
- implement a systematic approach to equipment maintenance, repair and calibration
Remember, the site assessor will look for evidence of any systems or improvements made since the last visit.
Managing a Vehicle Testing Station
AEs are, by law, fully responsible for ensuring that MOT testing at their VTSs is carried out to the required standard and in the manner instructed by DVSA. An AE must put procedures in place to ensure the VTS is well managed, maintained and operated and provides a high quality service to the public.
Q1 Vehicle age (MAN)
Older vehicles and those with higher mileages are more likely to develop faults. Graph 1 demonstrates the age related change in initial fail rates by year of first use and graph 2 demonstrates the mileage related change in initial fail rates for every 10,000 miles travelled.
The average age of the vehicles tested at your VTS can be determined from your MOT test logs that are available to download and view within the MOT testing service.
Statistically there is a greater risk of defects going undetected in an older or higher mileage vehicle. Although you cannot control the age of vehicles being presented, you can take steps to minimise the risk of defects being missed. How you go about this will depend on your particular operation, but you could consider:
- using your quality management check to re-examine recently tested vehicles (rather than observing your tester's routine)
- increasing the frequency of quality management checks relative to the average age of the vehicle presented
- ensure that you allow sufficient time in the test schedule to enable a thorough examination, including issuing the relevant documentation
- encourage the sharing of product knowledge on specific defects between testers
- keeping yourself and your staff up to date with changes in vehicle technology
- reviewing test duration times using test logs
Final failure rate by year of first use
Final failure rate by mileage
Q2 AE details (MAN)
It is paramount that you ensure that the information contained on your Certificate of Authorisation is correct.
DVSA issues this certificate when an AE is authorised. It specifies the classes of vehicle that the AE can test at the named premises and must be publicly displayed on the designated MOT notice board at the VTS.
The Authorised Examiner's Designated Manager (AEDM) or other responsible person can update some authorisation details, such as phone, fax, email and correspondence addresses directly via the MOT testing service. Any other changes, as described in the MOT testing guide, should be notified to DVSA. The AE or AEDM must confirm that the authorisation details are correct as requested via the MOT testing service.
DVSA publishes these details online to help customers to find you and we update the details on a quarterly basis.
Actions to consider:
- ensure that your business details and staff lists are up-to-date
- inform DVSA immediately of any changes to the business entity and AEDM
Q6 Test fee discounting (MAN)
The MOT test fee is not fixed but is limited to a maximum. This allows the AE to react to market forces. The fee is calculated based on the national average test time to conduct a test of that class.
If you offer discounts or other marketing initiatives you must ensure that no pressure's placed on testers to complete tests quicker or affect the outcome of the test.
To help control this risk, you can conduct audits of test outcomes to provide evidence that you actively check and compare individual and site performance against national statistics.
It is important that your audit system is capable of demonstrating that no bias exists, particularly if you provide MOT services for traders or a car sales department linked to your business.
Actions to consider:
- audit recently tested vehicles to check there is no bias and the test outcome's correct
Q8 Workload management (MAN)
As part of your authorisation for the MOT service, you must use a suitable booking-in system that enables customers to lawfully present vehicles without a current MOT certificate and those seeking to clear a Prohibition Notice, see the MOT Testing Guide for further information.
You can provide a booking system for managing the workload at your VTS in a number of different ways, ranging from a simple diary or T-card system through to a computer-based system linked to the workshop, staff and parts availability. Your system will depend on the characteristics of your VTS and the number of staff you employ.
The site assessor will ask to see records of a booking system dating back at least three months. Routine use of a customer booking system will also ensure that customer demand can be met and workshop efficiency improved.
By regularly reviewing data and reports within the MOT testing service for your VTS and staff and comparing the data from these with other data available to you from the workshop planner and financial information, you can gain an accurate overview of the operation of your VTS.
This overview, together with the information from any additional internal or external monitoring systems, should enable you to:
- ensure that your bookings are achievable
- amend your opening hours to suit your customers' needs and to receive alerts for tests done outside of opening hours
- account for all tests conducted
The ability to identify trends and take appropriate action prior to a visit from the site assessor will benefit the AE. The AE must demonstrate that an effective quality management system has been implemented and reduce the risk score at that VTS.
Actions to consider:
- request, review and act on the data available in reports available within the MOT testing service
- make sure your current booking system complies with the minimum standards
- make sure that the importance of maintaining a booking system is understood by staff
Q10 Service changes (MAN)
The ability to demonstrate that your staff are aware of the current service requirements and where to find them is fundamental to reducing your risk score. To achieve this you must allow your staff sufficient time for training that includes changes to the service and reading and acknowledging any special notices, sent by DVSA.
To make sure your staff are accessing up-to-date information, you should encourage them to use GOV.UK when accessing MOT information. The electronic versions of the inspection manuals and the MOT Testing Guide are updated automatically and are regarded as the definitive copy.
If you or your staff use paper copies of the Inspection Manuals and/or the MOT Testing Guide, these should be updated in line with the electronic copies so that mistakes are not made by acting on out of date information.
DVSA also uses informal communications to raise awareness and improve understanding of changes to the service. The DVSA Matters of Testing blog is updated periodically and is available to those who sign up for it. Matters of testing contains up-to-date news and highlights current testing and policy issues. If you experience any difficulty in receiving Matters of Testing, email the editor at email@example.com.
You should ensure that the AE and all MOT staff have kept their email up-to-date to receive relevant MOT correspondence from DVSA.
If staff meetings, bulletins or notice boards are a part of your business you can use these to highlight any service changes.
Actions to consider:
- keep copies of all documentation issued during contingency testing in a single location
- consider the training needs of key staff
- encourage the use of electronic reference documents to ensure access to up to date information
- provide staff with access to DVSA's blog, Matters of Testing
- allow time for staff to familiarise themselves with any changes before the implementation date
- view, action and archive any alert messages quickly
- ensure all special notices are read and acknowledged
Q11 Membership of an Approved Code of Practice (MAN)
When conducting a Site Assessment DVSA are recording whether AEs are members of a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) approved code of practice. Details of approved codes can be found on the CTSI website.
Continued Membership of an approved code requires compliance with certain standards and trading ethics which may enable DVSA to consider such VTS as low risk MOT garages, resulting in reduced regulatory checks.
DVSA is committed to providing the public with information relating to Vehicle Testing Stations in order that they are able to make an informed choice.
Your VTS
The AE's signature on the VT01 (section 8) acknowledges that all statutory testing must be carried out at the premises shown on the authorisation certificate, using only the equipment and facilities specified and without avoidable distraction or interruption. Your VTS is a window on your business and should be operated efficiently and effectively in order to provide an MOT provision to the public in the interests of road safety. The site assessor will evaluate the operation of your VTS as part of the site assessment.
Q4 System security (VTS)
Access to the MOT testing service (MTS) is password protected and requires a security card. The security arrangements used to access MTS must be kept secure. It is the AEs responsibility to ensure that users keep any personnel details safe and secure including any security cards and passwords used to access the database.
Any security cards and passwords remain the property of the named individual and must be kept secure at all times. Managing security in accordance with MOT Service requirements will not only lower your risk score, but also safeguard your business from unauthorised access to data. Remember, a breach in security leading to the improper issue of a test certificate or unauthorised access to the MOT system is a serious issue and may lead to formal disciplinary action.
Best practice is to keep your details, security cards and passwords safe, as you would your bank card and password. Actively encourage your staff to do the same and carry out checks to ensure compliance.
AEs should also be alert to staff leaving personal details or security cards unattended or written down, particularly in public areas that may lead to unauthorised access to the MOT database.
Actions to consider:
- remind staff of their responsibilities
- regularly check compliance with all current personal security requirements
Q16 Workplace throughput (VTS)
You can identify test volumes, either by tester or by VTS by downloading and analysing test logs available within the MOT testing service. Take time to look at your workshop and the current layout, not just in terms of the MOT service and check that it supports you current business needs.
Is there anything you can do to improve/increase the workflow? Consider MOT parking areas, defining individual test bays or walkways, the storage of consumables and tools.
The site assessor will want to see evidence that the workplace throughput is consistent with the level recorded from data within the MOT testing service.
Actions to consider:
- encourage working practices that improve efficiency
- does the location of the MOT test bay mean that vehicles are continually passing through the bay to gain access to other areas of the workshop
- do staff or customers have to walk through the MOT test bay to gain access to other parts of the building
- do vehicles regularly block the MOT test bay door
- does the layout of the equipment assists with the efficient operation for your VTS
Key information point:
Remember to apply for permission from DVSA before making any changes to your MOT test facilities using a VT01 form.
Q17 Workshop appearance (VTS)
The VTS should contain a safe and efficient environment for the testing, repair and manoeuvring of vehicles which will require regular time investment.
Establish procedures to ensure that any problems are easily identified, managed and resolved as quickly as possible. Keep a record of any problems with the VTS and the steps taken to rectify them.
Store your equipment and tools safely, so that work can be carried out efficiently, without distraction or disruption particularly where the MOT test is concerned. Make sure that information and safety signage, particularly around the public areas, is clear, accurate, visible and easily read. The storage of consumables, spare parts, waste and recyclables should not interfere with the operation of the workshop.
Actions to consider:
- whether, as a customer, you would want leave your vehicle at this garage
- what the appearance of your workshop says to the customer about your business
- identify and resolve any problems with the infrastructure
- improve the working environment to reduce the risk of distraction or disruption of a test in progress
- is there a better way/place to store tools and materials
- what is the condition of your safety and information signage, particularly that mandated by the MOT service
Q18 Workshop equipment and calibration (VTS)
The MOT service requires that all testing equipment must be kept in good working order and measuring apparatus must be kept calibrated in accordance with DVSA's requirements.
A best practice suggestion is to keep records of all your equipment maintenance and calibration dates displayed on a wall planner that is easily visible to staff, alternatively an electronic record held to remind staff of any future calibrations or maintenance due.
Actions to consider:
- identify calibration dates for all tools on a wall planner that is visible to all staff
- set up a defect reporting system for all workshop equipment
- identify a single location, visible to all, where the MOT test tools can be kept when not in use
Q19 Garage hand tools (VTS)
The Requirements for Authorisation Common to all Classes states that you must keep all miscellaneous equipment associated with the MOT test in good working order and that that equipment must be laid out so that testing can be performed effectively.
The site assessor will look for evidence that:
- hand tools are stored in good condition and are readily available, particularly where MOT testing is concerned
- equipment is located so that other garage activities will not affect the proper conduct of the test
Some VTS prefer to use a shadow-board, the location of which will depend on whether you use a pit or lift for your underside inspection.
Actions to consider:
- are hand tools easily located and in best place for the job
- does access to tools interfere with MOT testing
- are your tools maintained in good working condition
- how do you identify defective tools
Key information points:
Use a simple process to report defects with the VTS or equipment;
Every AE must, at all times, properly maintain the premises, facilities and testing equipment at all VTSs for which he is responsible (MOT Testing Guide Section B).
Well trained, knowledgeable and experienced staff are an important asset to any business. The MOT service specifies mandatory roles, including tester and Site Manager (SM). The Authorised Examiner (AE) is responsible for all staff and it is important that they are capable of fulfilling their role. Site assessors will gauge the knowledge of both the tester and AE representative as part of the site assessment.
Q12 Staff retention (EMP)
Good staff retention means that staff spend less time on training, have greater familiarity with the needs of your customers and a better understanding of your business. The more frequently a VTS has to go through a change of staff, the less productive it will be and exposure to risk increases.
When hiring new staff, AEs can request that a potential employee produces their MOT history record. This will provide you with key data, including any formal disciplinary actions for that individual. You can also produce a plan that introduces new staff to all the essential areas of your business.
Actions to consider:
- ask to review applicants' disciplinary history before employing them
- produce a plan for introducing new staff into your workplace and MOT operation
Q13 Incentives (EMP)
AEs are advised to use the MOT test reports and the VTS test log to monitor MOT throughput and other data to assess test quality. DVSA has found that staff who are recruited and retained with pay schemes linked to MOT throughput are more likely to take chances with their approval to test and consequently with your authorisation. Instead, you might link reward-related pay to positive customer feedback.
Actions to consider:
- if incentives are part of your business link them to quality as opposed to quantity
- use data within the MOT testing service to identify any anomalies in test statistics between individual
Q14 Quality Management systems (EMP)
AE's benefit from having a quality management system (QM) at each of their VTS's.
The type of QM approach adopted by an AE should help to ensure that testing standards and good management practices are in place.
The decision on the methods used will be left with the AE. Factors that may affect the type of QM approach used could include the number of VTS's, the number of testers employed, volumes of tests, experience of staff, the type of services the Vehicle Testing Station offer, what systems are currently in place and if there is any third party involvement.
QM systems as a minimum should cover the following areas:
This should include policies for recruiting staff, probation criteria and policies around what you will do when there are quality failings. This will also include information about site managers where they are used. Where AEs do have a responsibility across sites there would be an expectation that site managers are suitable individuals with suitable training to manage MOT operations at the VTS where they are listed.
This will include what checks you will do to make sure that all of your staff have the necessary training – both mandated training from DVSA, but also any other training they need to safely work in your garage. It would be expected that any system should be designed to ensure that all staff conducting MOTs have followed the in-year training and passed the assessment.
You need to ensure that your staff know how MOTs operate in your VTSs including:
- what documents to use
- how to access information such as manuals
- how bookings are operated
There are a number of reports available in the MOT testing service such as:
- test Logs
- test quality information
- slot usage
- transaction history
All relevant staff should understand how to ensure equipment upkeep and calibration and the process is clear and there are clear procedures for dealing with any equipment failures.
A procedure needs to be in place to check that at least a sample of MOTs are checked to ensure that the correct routines and procedures are followed and that the correct standards are applied.
An AE may consider implementing an assurance approach which could include a third party or Trade representative. Any third party should cover aspects relating to MOT test standards and the administrative management of the MOT business. Alternative approaches could be to nominate an experienced and well regarded tester to conduct the assurance checks, to rotate the responsibility across the team or to partner with neighbouring garages. It would be expected that all those carrying out assurance checks should be trained as MOT testers.
The frequency of checks may typically be expected to be 1 per tester every 2 months. However, this is based on the average garage throughput of 2-3 tests per day for experienced testers – so should be varied to reflect the volume of tests done or any other special circumstances – such as the experience of testers.
The assurance processes in place should be subject to regular review, this will enable an AE to monitor the effectiveness and if necessary make changes where required.
Assurance checks should include:
- the operation of the VTS
- the test quality of the MOT tests carried out by the testers at the VTS
Whoever is conducting the quality assurance check must:
- closely watch all parts of the test as they are carried out
- closely observe the testing process, and conduct a full re-examination of the vehicle to check standards application
Once the Tester has completed the test, which will be the subject of a QC check any difference in the test result, test standards or observed defects must be discussed and resolved prior to confirmation of the test result on the MOT Testing Service.
The result of the assurance check must be recorded – including any agreed action. That agreed action could be additional training, a garage development session or any other appropriate action. The key thing here is to show that corrective action is taken.
Where unusually high numbers of failings are found – then it would be expected that the frequency of checks is increased until such time as it is evidenced that the problem has now been solved.
If evidence of a third party QM system can be verified during a Site Assessment visit, this will be recognised and give an AE a reduced MOT Risk score. Any third party documentation should be retained as evidence and made available at the Site Assessment.
Overall the system needs to demonstrate that things are fixed when they are found wanting. A good quality system will find problems, and record their resolution – so there is a culture of learning and improving.
Q15 Staff training (EMP)
Staff management and training starts from the moment they are employed. Your staff are your most important business asset and their training is a key consideration when hiring new employees, particularly for approved roles such as Authorised Examiner Designated Manager, Site Manager or tester.
A member of staff can hold many different roles within the MOT service.
AEDMs must be trained and have a good understanding of the MOT testing service requirements. They must gaina qualification in MOT test centre management, which covers:
- testing responsibilities
- administrative arrangements
- disciplinary
- appeal processess
Site managers must have a good general knowledge of the MOT testing service and be capable of operating your VTS on a day to day basis. They must understand the practical implications of changes to staff and for the operation of your VTS.Site managers or other key staff will also benefit from attending the MOT test centre management course.
Testers are fundamental to the quality of work completed and must therefore have a good knowledge of the test routine and standards for all the vehicle types they are authorised to test. MOT testers must plan and record 16 hours of training over a rolling 5 year period, with at least 3 hours a year. This training must reflect that year's DVSA syllabus for each of the classes of vehicle they test. Testers must also successfully complete and annual assessment.
Key information points:
Make sure all MOT testers plan and record their annual training and assessment in good time.
You may instigate additional or more frequent training, depending on need.
It is good practice to keep a record of any training provided to your staff, whether formal or informal.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) regularly assesses a registered individual's skills and requires that they are signed up to the IMI code of practice. More information can be found at www.theimi.org.uk.
Actions to consider:
- individual training plans for your staff including annual training and any additional training
- implementing a continual assessment process
- formalising skills that are essential for the MOT service
Section 5 Authorised Examiner competency and integrity (EMP)
The AE or the Designated Manager (DM) must be able to apply their knowledge, skills and experience to support, manage and develop MOT testing at the VTS.
The site assessor will look for evidence of:
- a thorough knowledge of the MOT procedures and standards
- staff and resource management skills demonstrated through the performance and systems operated in the VTS
- improvements to the operation of the VTS brought about by the AEDM's knowledge and experience
- a high level of awareness and understanding of the practical implications of changes to the MOT service
Section 6 Tester competence and integrity (EMP)
A tester is both the biggest asset and potentially the biggest risk to any authorisation. The AE should provide all reasonable support to this key role. The tester must be able to apply suitable knowledge, skills and experience in the consistent application of MOT test criteria. Testers can view and generate reports on their recent performance from within the MOT testing service. AEs can request reports on all testers under their management.
The site assessor will look for evidence of:
- ongoing training and development to improve technical and professional knowledge
- the outcomes of any DVSA enforcement intervention
- a high level of awareness of the latest developments affecting the MOT service
- improvements to the testers testing knowledge and skills as a result of regular, documented quality control checks
Key information points:
Ensure that all testers complete their annual training and assessment in good time and that a good pass mark's achieved.
Ensure that new testers are familiar with your testing operation before they conduct a test.
When recruiting existing testers, consider any previous disciplinary history they may hold.
Part of DVSA's remit in managing the MOT service is to ensure that the customer receives consistency when visiting a VTS. DVSA will assess the processes and management you use to keep customers fully informed about the condition of their vehicle and ensure that the test outcome is correct. Additionally the customer facilities will be checked as part of our visit.
Q5 Customer areas
The VTS must provide a suitable environment for customers to visit, wait and view a test. The site assessor will ensure that the minimum requirements, contained in the Requirements for Authorisation, are complied with. However, any additional investment or improvements beyond the minimum standard together with evidence of maintenance and repairs will reduce your risk score.
Actions to consider:
- whether you would want to use your waiting room or viewing facility as it is currently presented
Q7 Notices and public information
The display of DVSA's mandatory posters and signs are covered in section H of the MOT Testing Guide. Other public information used by your business, including direction and safety signage, should be accurate, up to date and clearly displayed. Checks should include the external business name signs that help customers to easily find you. Some business types may also have a requirement to comply with the Business Names Act. Visit GOV.UK for more information.
The site assessor will look for evidence of:
- up to date mandatory information clearly displayed on the MOT notice boards
- clearly displayed customer leaflets
- a documented complaints procedure that includes evidence of follow up action.
Q9 Vehicle documents and Handover
When dealing with your customers, it is good practice to retain all documentation relating to that vehicle together in one place. Whilst this will be dependent on the work completed it may include MOT documentation, diagnostic reports, wheel alignment printouts and an invoice.
The VTS must retain other relevant test documentation including emissions printouts. It's best practice that these are stored by the VTS so they can be retrieved easily. The minimum retention period for MOT and related documentation can be found in the MOT testing guide.
An AE must retain copies of all MOT certificates issued during a contingency testing outage.
The site assessor will look for evidence of:
- use of a specific document system
- evidence of a comprehensive handover process
- documents retained in a single readily retrievable location
- emissions printouts that cross match with retained documents
- a professional and structured process for the receipt, care and return of vehicles
Key information points:
Clearly display all mandatory signage.
Ensure the viewing and waiting areas are clean and tidy.
Have an effective hand over system that is understood by all relevant staff.
Ensure that all business information is up to date.


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When it comes to solar energy, there is no question that it is great for the environment. After all, you are using a renewable energy source that isn't going anywhere anytime soon. However, there are a number of factors to consider when installing solar panels in your home. The following article will serve to aid you in that department.
Contact your local government to ask them about rules in place where you live. No solar technology should be in use without permission from the powers that be. You may find yourself fined and having to take down all that you worked so hard to put in place if you don't inquire first.
You should assess how much energy you need for your household before investing in a solar energy system. You will get the most out of your solar energy system if it is powerful enough to cover all your energy needs and allows you to sell a small quantity of power to the main grid. Continue reading


text:
Our range of awards aims to recognize the very best cartographic work and scholarship from around the globe. We present trophies and prizes to individuals and companies who have shown excellence in this field.
BCS Award, Stanfords Award, Avenza Award, John C. Bartholomew Award,
Ordnance Survey Award, The Henry Johns Award, The Esri UK New Mapmaker Award,
The BCS Children's Map Competition, Ian Mumford Award, The Society Medal,
The Garsdale Design Award for 3D mapping
In association with our sponsors, the Society promotes a series of prestigious awards for excellence in cartography that are open to everyone. We encourage entries from those engaged in all aspects of mapping, whether practical or theoretical, commercial or academic, using traditional or innovative techniques and research.
Presentations are usually made during the Gala Dinner at the Society's Annual Symposium and award winners receive publicity through our publications and in other promotions.
The 2018 BCS Awards are now closed and the forms will no longer accept entries.
These new forms are electronic and were created using the Google Forms, so we could utilise the upload function for some awards you will require a Google email account.
If you have any queries, you can reach our Awards Officer using the contact form.
BCS Award
Best entry from winners of the major design awards
The prestigious BCS Award is presented to the entry judged to be the best from the major design awards. It comprises The BCS Award Bowl (kept for a year), a trophy to keep and a certificate.
James Cheshire receives the BCS Award for 2017 from Dr Alexander Kent, BCS President
Stanfords Award
Best entry for Printed Mapping
Open to any mapping in the printed form, whether it be a poster, folded sheet map, atlas, or page from a book, etc. The Stanfords Award comprises a trophy and a certificate, and is run with the support of Stanfords map and travel book store.
Chris Beacock of Harvey Map Services receives the Stanfords Award for 2017 from Richard Carpenter, representing Stanfords
Avenza Award
Best entry for Electronic Mapping
Open to any mapping available in electronic format, including interactive internet mapping, internal company-use GIS mapping, and maps for PowerPoint presentations. The Avenza Award comprises a trophy and a certificate and is run with the support of Avenza Systems, Inc.
Ben Scott-Robinson of Ordnance Survey receives the Avenza Award for 2016 from Dr Tim Rideout, representing Avenza
John C. Bartholomew Award
Best entry for Thematic Mapping
Presented for originality and excellence in the field of thematic cartography with emphasis on effective communication of the intended theme or themes. The John C. Bartholomew Award comprises a trophy, a £500 prize and a certificate, and is run with the support of HarperCollins and the Bartholomew Family.
James Cheshire receives the John C. Bartholomew Award for 2017 from Jim Irvine of HarperCollins
Ordnance Survey Award
For excellence in the application of Ordnance Survey data
To encourage excellence in cartographic design and the innovative and exciting use of Ordnance Survey data. This award comprises a trophy and a certificate, and is run with the support of Ordnance Survey.
Ross McDonald of Angus Council receives the OS OpenData Award for 2016 on behalf of Heikki Vesanto from Paul Naylor of Ordnance Survey
The Henry Johns Award
For the most outstanding article published in The Cartographic Journal (awarded each Volume)
Presented to the author(s) of the most outstanding article published in The Cartographic Journal during the year as judged by the Editorial Board. The Henry Johns Award comprises a cash prize and a certificate, and is run with the support of Lovell Johns.
Martin Davis, Editorial Assistant of The Cartographic Journal, receives the Henry Johns Award for 2016 on behalf of Jérémie Ory, Sidonie Christophe, Sara Fabrikant and Bénédicte Bucher from Louisa Keyworth of Lovell Johns
The Esri UK New Mapmaker Award
It is intended to encourage and show good cartographic practice by new mapmakers
Open to those people who have been engaged in the creation of maps at both GCSE and A-Level. International entries are welcomed from students of the same age group (14-18yrs old), entries should demonstrate the use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) or web-mapping to view, analyse and interpret places and data. The Esri UK New Mapmaker Award comprises a £200 prize, a certificate and membership of BCS for one year, and is run with the support of Esri UK.
The BCS Children's Map Competition
For those at primary and secondary school level
This award has been developed to encourage the creative representation, by children, of their environment in graphic form. The competition is run with the support of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and is open to ages 7 to 16. There are four age groups (7 to 9, 10 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 16) and the winner in each will receive £50 and a certificate.
The competition is run every two years, alternating with the ICA's Barbara Petchenik Children's World Map Competition (details of which can be found here).
Ian Mumford Award
For university and college students
This award is intended to encourage and recognize excellence in original cartographic research undertaken by university or college students, who have been engaged in full- or part-time study towards a recognized academic qualification where cartography, maps or mapping forms the principal subject of research. The award comprises a £200 prize, a certificate and membership of BCS for one year.
2018 Ian Mumford Award entry form
2018 Ian Mumford Award tutor's reference form
2018 Ian Mumford Award rules
The Society Medal
For a distinguished contribution to cartography
The British Cartographic Society Medal is a gift of the Society's Council and was instituted in 1984. It is awarded to persons who have made a distinguished contribution to cartography.
The Garsdale Design Award for 3D mapping
Entry Form now available
The first annual 3D Cartography Award Sponsored by GD3D® the 3D geospatial brand from Garsdale Design, is a new exciting award open to everyone in any industry creating interesting, informative, exciting 3D cartography (real or imagined) using any technique and/or medium!


text: 0 comments 0 shares on Facebook 0 tweets on Twitter 0 shares on Linkedin Landlines Voice over internet protocol VoIP compliance & monitoring The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) five-category compliance approach provides transparency to the industry on the process taken when dealing with breaches of the Telecommunications code. Most compliance activity occurs in the informal, early stages focusing on education and industry self-regulation. Later categories involve using the ACMA's legislative powers, and serious matters are considered on a case by case basis. The ACMA's compliance and enforcement policy can be found here. Last updated: 18 May 2016


text:
Due to some technological difficulties, today's ProFile will be in a weekday kind of format. Fortunately, Olivia has a lot to say about her work and the future of street art. She writes:
"I was born in Bilbao, north of Spain and I've been living in Barcelona for the last 15 years. I always liked that name, I used it as a nickname on Internet, so that was a name I felt comfortable with and using olive-oil character. Olivia as a subject came easily. I also look a little bit like her."
"Everywhere I go I try to take posters with me. Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Granada, Valencia, Paris, London, Berlin, Istanbul, Lisbon. In Spain I really like Valencia, because you can find very good spots and it last forever, at least by now. In Europe I loved Berlin, amazing city and full of really good stuff; also Paris is not easy but they really like stencils and I feel they appreciate my work. Paris is like the capital of stencils and for some reason my work always has a little French touch. When I'm not pasting, I work as a textile designer for fashion companies and also as a teacher of plastic arts to High school students."
"I remember myself always drawing and painting with colour pencils when I was a child, when I grew up I use to do it at school instead of doing maths. I started painting on the street when I was already 35, so at that time I had already studied Fine Arts and I had my own style of drawing. What I took from the street was the technique of stencil that I had never used before, Barcelona 5 years ago was very inspiring because there was murals and works of people of all types, colours, techniques and sizes, that was amazing.
"I was introduced to street art by Mr Case four and a half years ago. He told me everything about it, even how to make a stencil. I can't forget how excited I was when I painted my first stencil on the street, them I realised that was a bit more dangerous than I thought, police, fines. I think my olivias are more elaborate now. I started doing simple 2 or 3 layer stencils. Now I put more elements in them and I use different techniques apart from stencils, like fabric, feathers, etc. "
"Street art is very exciting, not because you can get caught by the police, but because being out on the streets everybody can see your stuff and other artists can interact with you. Also because street art makes a city feel alive, public space is a common place where everyone should have the opportunity of express themselves as citizens, not just the big companies with ads always trying to sell something, democratisation of public space."
"Once I got caught by the police on a bombing night in the city. I was taken to court and my punishment was to spend some hours as a social worker doing something for the community. I ended up teaching kids how to paint graffiti in a small organization, they had to paint the shutters of the neighbourhood shops with graffiti related to the products that were sold in each shop. The project was really interesting, teaching the kids how to make a sketch before starting and how to paint together was very nice. It was strange to teach kids how to paint graffiti as a punishment for painting graffiti... But it was a beautiful projects and the kids were really happy with the final piece, and that's the important thing for me."
"Painting with friends makes you feel safer and more self-confident. Street art is not an easy thing to do, many people hate it, you have to be careful with the police, and you must get used to see your work destroyed, covered, ripped and trashed (good for educating your ego), so doing it with friends makes it less hard and more fun."
"I think the main difference between old-school graffiti and street art, apart from the technique itself (spray vs brush/sticker/poster/whatever), is that graffiti is done by writers for writers, while street art is more open to all kind of people. Tags and throw-ups are a close code of communication for people who are inside the scene. Actually, tags are very hard to read for people not familiar with graffiti-style letters, they are intended for other graffiti artist to see and appreciate. While anybody can understand and appreciate street art. That's why graffiti and tagging are more stigmatised and not so accepted by society, while street art is more generally accepted, because graffiti is a close code of communication, while street art is more open o anyone and easily understandable."
"I never tried to express any special meaning behind my work, but I think there's always something, a way of seeing life that goes within. My girls are very feminine, but strong and even pioneer in their times. Each of my Olivias represent a quality I consider important, a tribute not only to the person or character but also an attitude. Frilivia Khalo, for instance, represents courage and self-improvement; Oliphine Baker to be ahead of your time. Now I'm working for an exhibition in Menorca, it's opening soon so I must hurry and finish the last pieces!"
"When graffiti started your ego was very important, a graffiti writer looked for fame and recognition in the graffiti scene. I guess this is a kind of attitude that fits more with men than with girls... Men tend to be tougher and more self-confident, while women can be more insecure, in general. But there are more and more girls doing street art now, and there were also girls in the old-school days. I think that's very important, hip hop and street art needs some girls! I don't think much about it, my fellow boys never made me feel different for being a woman; but there's a different sensitivity and normally you see the difference in the art, but not always.It's true that being a girl generates curiosity from people, because there aren't so many girls in the street art scene. I don't feel I have to lead any cause, but I am a woman and express my feelings and maybe those of any other women as well. Powerful, sensitive, intelligent, tough, but feminine. I prefer a strong woman to the image of a fragile conventional girl, and that's what I try to represent with Olivia. You can be strong and very feminine at the same time."
Thanks so much, Olivia! For more photos, catch up with Mr. Case on his website. Right now, I'm gearing up for a World Cup-filled weekend. Nobody call me (unless it's to discuss the matches)!


text:
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text:
So yes PDiggy, with the little that I understand and can grasp about all this, I thank you for working on the ceasefire and I pray that you can truly bring peace this way. I don't know how far you'll succeed here, but even as a military brat, I wish you well. Just imagine how many communities, tucked away so far, become even farther because the people reside in unsafe areas of the country. Of course this is just one aspect of the depth of the difficulties of the Mangyans (and the many IPs), but I now have a better grasp of how the dream of long-lasting peace can improve the lives of the Filipinos in the outskirts.
If my dad were here, he wouldn't have allowed me to join the mission. I was telling my sister about my trip and she agreed that Papa would have sent people to get me from the mountains. He was a military man and I grew up hating the "armed" leftists because my dad hated them. He would have flipped if he learned I slept in an Army infantry camp, but I know he would be proud of the work I was a part of, because he's always been proud of his personal dentist.
As for me, I am proud to be a part of a team whose passion for service is incomparable. To my dear President Duterte, let's work on lasting peace, can we, not just for the Mangyans but for everyone. I understand what you mean now.


text:
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Supreme Court of Utah
March 15, 2017
Friends of Great Salt Lake, et al., [1] Appellants,v.Utah Department of Natural Resources, et al., [2] Appellees, and Great Salt Lake Minerals Corporation, Intervenors/Appellees.
Direct Appeal Third District, Salt Lake The Honorable Deno G.
Himonas No. 080902785
Walker, Charles R. Dubuc, Salt Lake City, for appellants Sean
D. Reyes, Att'y Gen., Brent A. Burnett, Fredric J.
Donaldson, Norman K. Johnson, Michael S. Johnson, Douglas J.
Crapo, Assist. Att'ys Gen., for appellees Utah Dep't
of Nat. Res., et al.
J. Christiansen, David C. Reymann, Cheylynn Hayman, Megan J.
Houdeshel, Salt Lake City, for appellee Great Salt Lake
Minerals Corp.
Associate Chief Justice Lee authored the opinion of the
Court, in which Chief Justice Durrant, Justice Durham, Judge
Voros, and Judge Christiansen joined.
recused themselves, Justice Himonas and Justice Pearce do not
participate herein; Court of Appeals Judges J. Frederic Voros
and Michele M. Christiansen sat.
This case involves a series of legal challenges to the
decision of the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands
(Division) granting a mining lease covering a small portion
of the Great Salt Lake. Plaintiffs-appellants, collectively
known as Friends of Great Salt Lake (Friends), sought to halt
the lease in various requests and petitions submitted to the
Division or to the Utah Department of Natural Resources
(Department). The agencies rejected them all. Friends then
challenged those rejections in the district court. And in the
district court proceedings Friends also sought leave to amend
its complaint to raise additional constitutional and
statutory arguments.
The district court affirmed the rejection of Friends'
requests and petitions, denied in part Friends' attempt
to amend its[3] complaint, and later dismissed the
remaining arguments on summary judgment. Friends filed this
appeal. It alternatively sought extraordinary relief in this
court. We affirm in large part. And we deny Friends'
request for extraordinary relief. Yet we reverse on one
narrow question: We conclude that the Division was required
to engage in "site-specific planning" as a
prerequisite to the issuance of the record of decision
approving the lease application in question, see
Utah Admin. Code r. 652-90-300(2) (2007), and remand to allow
the Department to decide on the appropriate remedy for the
failure to perform such planning.
In 1996, the Division created a resource management plan for
the Great Salt Lake. This "Mineral Leasing Plan for the
Great Salt Lake" divided the lake into four leasing
zones, with lands in all zones foreclosed from leasing until
nominated by outside parties. The first zone-and the only one
relevant here-was labeled "Open." This designation
meant that "[n]o significant resource conflicts [were]
identified." It also indicated that the area would be
"[o]pen to hydrocarbon or mineral salt leasing with
standard lease stipulations for Great Salt Lake
One year later, the Division began the process of developing
a comprehensive management plan for the Great Salt Lake, a
process that included re-examining the previous year's
mineral leasing plan. From 1998 to 1999, the Division invited
public participation in formulating the new comprehensive
management plan and received comments from interested
parties, including some members of Friends. In 2000, the
Division enacted a comprehensive management plan, which also
incorporated the 1996 resource management plan.
Seven years later, in February 2007, the Great Salt Lake
Minerals Corporation (Corporation) nominated 23, 000 acres
for lease. This land fell under the "Open" zone of
the resource management plan. In April, the Division invited
the public to comment on what stipulations and restrictions
should be applied to the lease. Numerous comments were
submitted, including from Friends. In May, the Division
opened up the nominated acreage to competitive bids. The
Corporation's bid was accepted.
In early July 2007, the Division released a record of
decision detailing the grounds for its decision to grant the
Corporation the lease. And the Division concluded that
granting the lease would not violate the comprehensive
management or mineral leasing plans.
Friends made three parallel, simultaneous attempts to halt
approval of the Corporation's mining lease on the Great
Salt Lake: (1) it petitioned the Department for
"consistency review" of the Division's record
of decision regarding the lease, asserting that the decision
ran afoul of the state public trust doctrine and the
Division's planning regulations; (2) it filed a request
for agency action with the Division's director, asking
the Division to "redo" its analysis or
"undertake site-specific analysis" in furtherance
of the Division's responsibilities to protect the public
trust, and to determine how the leases should be changed and
"implement those changes, " Request for Agency
Action at 3; and (3) it petitioned the Division for an
agency declaratory order "on the correct
applicability" of article XX, section 1 of the Utah
Constitution, [4]Utah Code section 65A-10-1(1),
[5] and
the Division's Sovereign Land Management Planning
regulation[6] relating to the Division's record of
In January 2008, the Division's Director and the
Department's Executive Director consolidated the request
and two petitions and issued a single agency order denying
all three. The petition for consistency review and request
for agency action were denied on the ground that Friends
wasn't a party to the lease application; the order
concluded that the Utah Administrative Procedures Act (UAPA)
prevents non-parties from intervening in informal
adjudications. The petition for a declaratory order was
denied for three reasons: (1) granting it would substantially
prejudice the Corporation's rights without its consent,
(2) the petition improperly relied on disputed facts, and (3)
the petition sought a declaratory order on what was not yet
an executed contract. But the directors stayed the execution
of the lease to give Friends a chance to request an amendment
to the 2000 comprehensive management plan.
Friends responded in three ways. First, Friends petitioned
the Division to amend the comprehensive management plan based
on the same arguments it had put forth in its previous
petitions and request. Second, it appealed the directors'
denial of the initial petitions and request to district
court.[7] Finally, Friends sought a stay of the
issuance of the lease to the Corporation.
The Division's director denied the request to amend the
comprehensive management plan amendment under Utah
Administrative Code Rule 652-90-1000 (2007), a rule requiring
"unforeseen circumstances" to sustain an amendment
to a comprehensive management plan. In the director's
view, Friends had identified no "unforeseen
circumstances" that were not addressed in the original
comprehensive management plan; instead Friends put forth only
its disagreements with the plan. The director also noted that
the 2000 comprehensive management plan would be reviewed in
2010 and invited Friends to participate in that process.
The Division also denied Friends' stay request. It
concluded that construction could not occur until the
Corporation received a Clean Water Act permit authorizing
The Division executed the lease with the Corporation a day
later. And one month after that, the Department's
Executive Director affirmed the Division director's
denial of the plan amendment and lease stay requests.
Friends responded by amending its complaint in the district
court. The amended complaint sought judicial review of the
denial of the petition to amend the comprehensive management
plan. At that point the Corporation moved to intervene in the
district court proceedings. That motion was granted, and the
Corporation thereafter filed a motion for partial summary
judgment on the claims related to the two original petitions
and the request (a motion echoed by the Division a few months
later). Friends then filed a cross-motion for partial summary
The district court granted the partial summary judgment
motions of the Corporation and the Division and denied the
cross-motion filed by Friends. In so doing the court affirmed
the directors' decision, rejecting Friends' original
petitions and request on several grounds. First, the district
court rejected Friends' argument that it was entitled to
challenge the record of decision as an "interested
part[y]" commenting on a site-specific plan under Utah
Code section 65A-2-4(1). In so doing, the court found that
the record of decision proceeding was an adjudication, not a
proceeding involving a "state land management
plan[]" under section 65A-2-4(1).[8] And because
Friends was not a party to the Corporation's lease
application to the Division, the court concluded that it
lacked authority to file a petition for consistency
The court also concluded that the Division's rules
don't allow non-parties to a lease to collaterally
challenge lease decisions. And it held that the request for
agency action failed on that basis. Because intervention is
not allowed in informal adjudications under Utah Code section
63G-4-203(g), moreover, the court rejected Friends'
attempt at intervention in the informal adjudication.
Finally, the court noted that UAPA prevents an agency from
issuing a declaratory order if (1) the order is based on
disputed facts; or (2) the order would substantially
prejudice a party's rights without its consent.
See Utah Code § 63G-4-503. And the court
dismissed the declaratory judgment claim because it found
both disputed facts and a likelihood of substantial
prejudice, especially given that the order sought by Friends
challenged existing leases the Corporation had held for
Friends responded by moving to amend its complaint a second
time. In this proposed second amended complaint, Friends
sought to challenge the Division's record of decision. It
also sought to assert claims under the public trust doctrine,
for breach of fiduciary duty, and for infringement of its
alleged constitutional rights-under the federal Due Process
Clause, the Open Courts Clause of the Utah Constitution, and
the Separation of Powers Clause of the Utah Constitution. In
addition, Friends also sought declaratory judgments that (1)
the comprehensive management plan didn't require the
Division approve the Corporation's lease if it was in
compliance; (2) Friends is entitled to direct judicial review
of the record of decision; and (3) the record of decision
violates the public trust doctrine.
The district court refused to allow the amended complaint to
the extent it sought to assert constitutional claims (due
process, open courts, separation of powers) or a declaratory
judgment claim recognizing a right to direct judicial review
of the record of decision. It did so on the ground that those
claims weren't preserved in the proceedings before the
Division and because UAPA doesn't allow direct judicial
review of a record of decision. For these reasons the
district court found that the proposed amendments would be
"futile." Memorandum Decision, at 6. (June
9, 2011).[10]
In addition, the district court found it "axiomatic that
'[o]nly those issues that were brought to the
factfinder's attention at the administrative level may be
litigated in the de novo review in the district
court.'" Id. (quoting Taylor-West Weber
Water Improvement Dist. v. Olds, 2009 UT 86, ¶ 12,
224 P.3d 709). Thus, the district court held that the
constitutional claims are "deemed waived and may not be
raised for the first time on appeal." Memorandum
Decision, at 6 (June 9, 2011).[11] It also reached a similar
conclusion as to Friends' attempt to challenge the record
of decision through a declaratory judgment claim. It held
that it lacked jurisdiction to review the record of decision
on a declaratory judgment claim.
Initially, the court allowed Friends to amend its complaint
to add the other claims (public trust, fiduciary duty, and
declaratory judgments that the comprehensive management plan
isn't controlling and the record of decision violates the
public trust). But it ultimately reversed course. After
further briefing and a motion to dismiss, the district court
concluded that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over
these claims as well. Minute Entry Ruling, at 1
(April 10, 2012).
The district court concluded that its jurisdiction in this
proceeding was limited to review of the underlying
informal adjudication. Because Friends sought a collateral
attack on the underlying adjudication, the court concluded
that it lacked jurisdiction. And it dismissed the remaining
claims on that basis.
A period of inactivity ensued. This led the district court to
issue an order to show cause demanding that the parties
explain why the case shouldn't be dismissed for failure
to prosecute. Friends then moved for partial summary judgment
on its remaining claim-the challenge to the denial of its
attempt to have the 2000 comprehensive management plan
amended. Shortly thereafter the Division adopted new
comprehensive management and mineral leasing plans. With that
in mind, the district court dismissed Friends' final
claim as moot since the new plans superseded the 2000 plan
that Friends was petitioning the Division to alter. Friends
then filed a timely appeal.
Friends' appeal presents three sets of issues: (1)
whether the district court erred in affirming the
directors' order rejecting Friends' petition for
consistency review, request for agency action, and petition
for an agency declaratory order; (2) whether the district
court erred in denying Friends' attempt to amend its
complaint and in dismissing its remaining claims on summary
judgment; and (3) whether the district court ...
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text:
My computer decided it was time to give me problems again. It does that sometimes, and I think it means it's time to buy a new model. It was almost a week without LJs, blogs and e-mails, poor me! The guy who fixes that to me said something about memory and motherboard, but I wasn't really paying attention. I need it working, but I don't want to learn how it works! Anyway now I've to run to read many things before going back to hospital again. Hum, probably I'll print all those some fics and all those fic/DVD posts to read later - by the way it's an amazing idea, why nobody thought about it before??
- Current Mood: discontent
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text:
- North America
- United States
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- College Of William And Mary
- Search
Traveling Luck for College Of William And Mary Virginia, United States
The timezone in College Of William And Mary is America/Iqaluit
Morning Sunrise at 08:15 and Evening Sunset at 17:51. It's light
Rough GPS position Latitude. 37.2714°, Longitude. -76.7119°
Morning Sunrise at 08:15 and Evening Sunset at 17:51. It's light
Rough GPS position Latitude. 37.2714°, Longitude. -76.7119°
Weather near College Of William And Mary Last report from Williamsburg, Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport, VA 4.1km awayTemperature: 8°C / 46°F
Wind: 0km/h North
Cloud: Sky Clear
Satellite map of College Of William And Mary and it's surroudings...
Geographic features & Photographs around College Of William And Mary in Virginia, United States
building(s) a structure built for permanent use, as a house, factory, etc..
- Marshall Wythe Hall (0km)
- William Barton Rogers Hall (0.1km)
- Blow Gymnasium (0.1km)
- Old Dominion Hall (0.1km)
- Monroe Hall (0.1km)
- Earl Gregg Swem Library (0.2km)
- Dawson Hall (0.2km)
- Washington Hall (0.2km)
- Bryan Hall (0.2km)
- Camm Hall (0.3km)
- Ewell Hall (0.3km)
- Landrum Hall (0.3km)
- Chandler Hall (0.3km)
- Jefferson Hall (0.3km)
- Wren Building (0.3km)
- Barrett Hall (0.3km)
- The Brafferton (0.4km)
- Taliferro Hall (0.4km)
- Brown Hall (0.5km)
- Williamsburg Regional Library (0.5km)
- Trinkle Hall (0.5km)
- Tyler Hall (0.5km)
- Williamsburg Theatre (0.6km)
- Williamsburg Municipal Building (0.6km)
- James City County Courthouse (0.9km)
- William and Mary Hall (0.9km)
- Marshall-Wythe Law Library (1.2km)
- Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Collection (1.4km)
- Folk Art Branch Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library (1.4km)
church a building for public Christian worship.
- Williamsburg Baptist Church (0.2km)
- Williamsburg Presbyterian Church (0.3km)
- First Baptist Church (0.4km)
- Holiness Church (0.5km)
- Williamsburg United Methodist Church (0.6km)
- Saint Bedes Catholic Church (0.6km)
- Bruton Parish Church (0.6km)
- Saint Stephen Lutheran Church (0.8km)
- Union Baptist Church (1.6km)
- Mount Ararat Baptist Church (1.7km)
Local Feature A Nearby feature worthy of being marked on a map..
- Temple Beth El (0.7km)
- First Church of Christ Scientist (0.8km)
- Governors Palace (1.1km)
- Williamsburg Shopping Center (1.6km)
school building(s) where instruction in one or more branches of knowledge takes place.
- College Of William And Mary (0km)
- Whaley School (0.9km)
- William and Mary Law School (1.2km)
Accommodation around College Of William And Mary
The Fife And Drum Inn 441 Prince George Street, Williamsburg
Williamsburg Manor B&B 600 Richmond Road, Williamsburg
Cedars of Williamsburg Bed & Breakfast 616 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg
hospital a building in which sick or injured, especially those confined to bed, are medically treated.
- Bell Hospital (historical) (0.5km)
- Bell Hospital (0.6km)
- Williamsburg Community Hospital (1.6km)
cemetery a burial place or ground.
- Galt Family Cemetery (0.9km)
- Bruton Parish Churchyard (0.9km)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery (1.5km)
park an area, often of forested land, maintained as a place of beauty, or for recreation.
- Cary Stadium (0.4km)
- Palace Green (1.1km)
- Williamsburg Historic District (1.2km)
administrative division an administrative division of a country, undifferentiated as to administrative level.
- Williamsburg, City of (0.5km)
tower a high conspicuous structure, typically much higher than its diameter.
- WCWM-FM (Williamsburg) (0.5km)
post office a public building in which mail is received, sorted and distributed.
- Williamsburg Post Office (0.7km)
populated place a city, town, village, or other agglomeration of buildings where people live and work.
- Williamsburg (0.5km)
dam a barrier constructed across a stream to impound water.
- Matoaka Dam (1.6km)
reservoir(s) an artificial pond or lake.
- Matoaka Lake (1.6km)
Wikipedia entries close to College Of William And Mary
- Williamsburg (Virginia) city i city
- Capitol (Williamsburg, Virginia) landmark landmark
- Fort Magruder city o city
- Magruder, Virginia city o
- Green Spring Plantation archaeologic
- Grove, Virginia city o city
- Jamestown (Virginia) landmark landmark
- Norge, Virginia archaeologic
- Surry Nuclear Power Plant building landmark
- York River State Park park
- Croaker, Virginia archaeologic
- Toano, Virginia city o city
- Scotland, Virginia city o city
- United States Navy reserve fleets military landmark
- Yorktown (Virginia) city n city
- Surry, Virginia city o city
Airports close to College Of William And MaryFelker aaf(FAF), Fort eustis, Usa (22.2km)
Newport news williamsburg international(PHF), Newport news, Usa (30.8km)
Langley afb(LFI), Hampton, Usa (46.6km)
Norfolk ns(NGU), Norfolk, Usa (65.4km)
Richmond international(RIC), Richmond, Usa (73.8km)


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A purple, triple-decker bus pulled up under the viaduct on Stoney Street on Saturday; apparently en-route to 'Nothing Under Water'. It may have looked like a radical solution for Congestion Charging, but was in fact Harry Potter's Knight Bus.
The Market didn't look significantly different. A few extra stalls were brought in and a cafe on Stoney Street was temporarily turned into a 'Third Hand Book Emporium'. Otherwise, the location should look eerily familiar to locals when the film hits cinema screens.
A spokesperson wouldn't confirm if the crew will be returning to the Market for further filming. But she did say that we will have to wait until 2004 to see the finished film.


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Emergency midnight post of Lee Je-hoon's first pics as Prince Sado off the set of Secret Door. Because squealing is always involved when it comes to Lee Je-hoon. I swear I still like other actors too, but... Lee Je-hoon... *sigh*
Also, how freaking amazing is that Lee Je-hoon will be reuniting with long-lost Bleak Night buddy Seo Jun-young? On top of that, they're going to be on-screen buddies again, this time without the backstabbing. How sad is that (spoilers?) in both time Lee Je-hoon's character will be dead in the end? Their relationship is doomed from the start. Maybe in a couple more years they can reunite again with a happily ever after? Please?
Secret Door will follow Temptation in the Monday-Tuesday 21:55 slot on SBS this coming September. Mark your calenders because it will be good... Hopefully.


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InsideGamer has released the very first videofootage of FIFA Street 3, the third installment of EA's streetsoccergame. The footiegame will be going cartoony, as we see Ronaldinho, Rooney, Crouch as comic-characters.
I'm sure this game is gonna be great fun but that video doesn't look all that great - Ronaldinho's legs look right weird and he's got JUMBO feet. Some great skills though.
ronaldino's face on top of some skinny guy with chicken legs.


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The monitor, described as spectacular by the scientists who found it, lives in forests covering the Sierra Madre mountains in the north of the country. ...
The giant lizard is actually well known to resident Agta and Ilongot tribespeople living in the forests of northern Luzon Island.
The tribes people regularly hunt the lizard for its meat, a vital source of protein.
Yet scientists were unaware of its existence.
That was until Dr Brown and an international team of colleagues from the US, Philippines and The Netherlands surveyed a series of lizard specimens preserved in museums both within the US and Philippines.1
The Agtas, are the first indigenous people to originally inhabit the Philippines. Today, they are being threatened with extinction. The remaining few are going deeper into the forests which also may not be around too long.
"The land is no longer there for us. Other people say they own they land, but who owns the land? We belong to the land," Salak Dima, a leader of a band of 23 Agtas, said to this reporter.
Salak, at 4 feet plus, dripping wet, showed no interest at all in talking to a stranger. His face was stripped of emotion and stoic. But a gift of two Marlboro packs, five boxes of strike-anywhere matches and a Swiss knife I hurriedly grabbed at a Copenhagen airport duty-free shop on my way from Sweden to Denmark, changed all that.
He recalled the years of his band's oppression.
"Despite being dwellers and guardians of the forest for hundreds of years, our primitiveness conserved peace and prosperity in these lands. We live in harmony with nature. We would rather flee than fight. But that does not make us cowards. We rely on our own resources as our forefathers did. We will do so now, especially now that the outside world has shown us unheard-of cruelty," he said with a sigh.
"In our dialect, we don't have words for theft, hatred, selfishness and cruelty. In our ways, these are strange. When the lowlanders came, we were friendly, trusting and found out too late. We traded meat with the lowlanders. In return, they gave us liquor, raped our women, ridiculed us and treated us like dogs," Salak continued.
Salak himself slaved in a logging camp in Casiguran, Quezon and was tortured.
Agta women and children bear the brunt of some of the most cruel and inhuman acts of oppression. When in lowland towns to barter meat or vegetables for medicine or rice, they are inundated with lewd jokes, propositioned and sexually abused. In Salak's tribe, five women were raped by gold prospectors and loggers. Some were gang-raped.
2'Filipino 'Agta' aborigines threatened with extinction' - The Bruneo Times


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Every Friday we feature one of the garments from the magazine in a post about styling. We suggest different ways to wear the garment in question using mock-ups from Polyvore. We encourage readers to tell us what they think about these outfits via our Facebook page or Twitter, and if folks want to make their own outfits, please tweet them at us with the hashtag #twiststyle. You can find all of the Style Friday posts here.
It snowed here this week. Just a little, in the mornings, but it did snow. After a pretty generous fall, I think the weather for getting cozy has finally arrived.
Thank goodness we have wool; specifically, really pretty wool, and smooshy brioche. Hello there, Helenium!
I mean, come on! Have you ever seen something so pretty? Helenium's cozy yoke, full sleeves, and bum-warming length will keep you warm when the snow really flies, plus you'll look real good.
I'm becoming a fiber nerd, and my eyes got big like saucers when I looked up the fiber content of this yarn. I want to touch it. I want to knit with it, and I want to wear it on my body. This is HiKoo Kenzie, my knitterly friends, and it is 50% Merino Wool/ 25% Nylon/ 10% Angora/ 10% Alpaca/ 5% Silk Noils. It has a tweedy quality and a halo and also really lovely stitch definition. Basically it is made of unicorn hair and phoenix feathers.Right now my strong desire is to make this in a variant on my house colours, a deep charcoal and a golden ochre (probably kiwifruit and greysalt of the Kenzie colourways).
You might have guessed that I'm on a Harry Potter train these days. It's true, I just finished reading the first book to my date, after which we immediately watched the first movie, and on my own time I'm listening to the audio of the fourth book, and recently watched the third movie. Of course, I am relistening to the corresponding episodes of Witch Please along the way. This isn't really important, except to say that for *years* I wished for the ability to read and knit at the same time, and friends, audiobooks have finally given me this most desired superpower and I am INTO IT.
Know what else I'm into? Overalls, friends. Overalls. I got two pairs online and they might be the best things I have ever worn. I was tempted to make all of the outfits with them, but I know you are not all freelancers who can wear whatever you want all the time, or who just like dressing like a toddler-grandma. So then, I thought about office holiday parties, and shopping for presents, and here you go.
How will you wear Helenium?


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Hill and Waters named Teens To WACH
IRMO, SC (WACH) -- Throughout this High School Hoops season, SAFE Federal Credit Union will recognize an exceptional student athlete from each participating school as Teens to WACH with a plaque presentation prior to each game.
This week's Teens to WACH Presented by SAFE Federal Credit Union are Winson Hill from Irmo and Paige Waters from Spring Valley.
Winston is a football and basketball standout for the Yellow Jackets, he was named in the basketball preseason Top 5 for class 5A and has been named to the All-Region and All-State teams. In the community he volunteers at local elementary schools as well as volunteering at Irmo High's open house. in the classroom Winston has a 3.5 GPA and is considering a basketball offer from Francis Marion.
Paige is cross country and track star. She's been named the overall female team scholar athlete twice. Sh is an active member of her church, tutors students and helps the less fortunate through the many clubs she is involved in. She is an active member of four National Honor Societies (Math, Science, English and Latin) and holds a 5.55 GPA. Next year she hopes to continue her education at Clemson.
These students are also eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship to be presented at the end of the season courtesy of SAFE Federal Credit Union. SAFE is proud to support and encourage exceptional student athletes across the Midlands. Congratulations to both of this week's High School Hoops Teens to WACH!!


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I was alerted to an article by Rebecca Greenfield in The Atlantic Wire entitled "The Rape 'Joke' at Microsoft's E3 Reveal Is a Bigger Deal Than Another Bad 'Joke'" which alleges that:
"… a Microsoft presenter slipped an apparent rape reference into a Monday presentation at Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, the biggest video-game conference of the year. During a demo of Killer Instinct to drum up excitement for its new Xbox One, Microsoft brought out a man and a woman to battle it out on the big screen onstage in Los Angeles. In this scripted event the man, of course, kicks the woman's ass at the fighting game. "I can't even block correctly and you're too fast," she says, playing a video game like a girl. But even more problematic than those stereotypical gender roles was the part when her adversary said this: "Just let it happen. It will be over soon." You know, like a rape: The audience chuckled. "Wow, you like this," the man continues, as he beats the virtual woman. And the woman, much like someone being sexually assaulted, replies: "No, I don't like this."
The sentiment was echoed by Chenda Ngak at CBS in "E3 audience offended by "rape joke" at Microsoft Xbox One event". While it is true that as Greenfield puts it, "Perhaps more than any segment of the technology industry, gamer culture has had its fair share of sexism problems…," I am getting mixed reactions as to where this incident lands on that spectrum. The non-gamers I have shown this to report seeing at least the sexual innuendo – and were somewhat rocked by the "just let it happen" comment. But if you read the comments in reaction to the CBS piece, you will see that many readers do not seem to think this was a rape reference or even sexist. The one thing that is undoubtedly true: the players in this demo were not evenly matched – the man was one of the producers of the game, clearly more skilled at the fighting techniques and using a special controller and the woman was a Microsoft presenter with a standard controller and a totally different charge – to help highlight the extended features of the game. Let me know where you come out on this. Please cast your vote after watching the video.
But the overarching point is not lost. Traditionally, female characters wear skimpy clothing and feature exaggerated body parts to make them more alluring. In the past the industry put emphasis on strong male characters who were almost always the stars of the game. But I think it does the entire gaming world a huge disservice to pretend that things have not changed and that the rampant sexism of the past is present in most games today.
Yes, female characters still feature exaggerated bodies and often wear sexy outfits, but the male characters are equally exaggerated and unrealistic, representing a non-existent super male. Let's face it, at least some gaming is about fantasy and stepping out of your life into a more exciting role for a time sells. No question, this was a male-dominated market at first, but the number of female gamers has increased steadily and now account for nearly half of the total market. Wikipedia has interesting further detail under the topic Women and video games.
Of course there are limits, and good taste and social responsibility dictate these, and today most of the huge game developers take great care in where they draw the lines. I applaud Bioware, for instance, for enabling players to create Mass Effect's main character as a male or female and allowing the user to determine (for the most part) the character's body type and style. Many games feature equally balanced male and female characters like the Borderlands games for example or the new Fuse, but these limit the customization available to varying degrees.
In any case, the look of the characters is only part of the equation, what happens to them conveys the most important message and there are plenty of games today that seem to seek a balanced approach and not send the messages that so many find offensive. Careful game selection is critical. This is especially true when you are a parent of young gamers. As a father of three young boys, all of whom play a wide variety of games, I make it a point to research each game and in many cases play the games with them. I often choose to play female characters part of the time which my sons don't understand. As they are a still too young to have real interest in girls, their unanimous preference is to play only as male characters.
But only part of the gaming experience is controlled by the developers. The online community plays a huge role in shaping the experience. Much like the variety of people who make up the game companies, the online gaming community includes all sorts of people with varied degrees of education, experience and enlightenment. One does not need to look very far to find racism, homophobia and sexism. Unfortunately, these are the realities of our society and their presence in the gaming communities only shows how accurately the gaming world reflects today's different cultures, in the United States and abroad.
The importance of sending the correct message about healthy relationships and how to treat all human beings does not come from video games, it comes from parents. What you say and how you react to things that your children see and hear while playing video games, or watching television or films greatly affects how they process that information.
You may question – why am I talking about this on Father's Day? Because the day is not just about giving gifts to dad. As fathers, the greatest gift we can give our children is the ability to have and sustain healthy, mature relationships, built on respect and trust. I firmly believe that talking about the problem and educating about healthy relationships can reduce the violence and protect our children.
Yet, new data from a NO MORE survey (sponsored by the Avon Foundation for Women) shows that these conversations are not happening. Three out of 4 men in this country say they have NOT talked about domestic violence or sexual assault with their children. That is why I am supporting a new effort, called NO MORE, to break through the silence surrounding these problems and get men talking about the issue.
I recognize that starting this conversation is extremely difficult; knowing what to say may be even harder. That is why there are resources you can use to make the conversation meaningful. These include information from Loveisrespect.org, Futures Without Violence and Break the Cycle. Get resources on talking to sons about healthy masculinity from Men Can Stop Rape and A CALL TO MEN. You can learn more about these organizations and many others at www.nomore.org.
This Father's Day, decide to make teaching your children about healthy relationships part of your mission as a father. Remind yourself that this is what it looks like to end domestic violence and sexual assault. It looks like everyday people, standing up and saying NO MORE. Join me, and teach your sons and daughters to do the same.
Please also see my earlier post about NO MORE and view the public service announcement.
Posted on June 13, 2013, in Family, Gaming and tagged Borderlands, domestic violence, e3, Fuse, Mass Effect, NO MORE, parenting, rape joke, sexism, sexual assault, Xbox. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.


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It's funny how much that can change in such a short time. When I first arrived I was excited about everything I saw and did and now…I feel depressed. Totally and utterly and I really wish I had never moved here. I just don't want to adapt as a matter of fact. I don't want to become one of these desperate people that I see every day. I don't want to think it's normal to be one second away from death whilst driving. I don't want to keep on defending myself..trying to protect my identity, getting constant questions about my life…having everyfuckingone trying to rip me off. Fuck that.
The words are..well get out of here if you don't like it. Well I am planning to. This place isn't good for my nerves, mood or personality.