Environmental Health Officers' Transport

[debrakevin]

Do environmental health officers generally use their own cars for making visits or do councils provide vehicles for this?

Thanks

[buildersmate]

That's an odd question, Debra.
It certainly won't be a job where the vehicle is for the sole use of the one official (such that it becomes a 'company car' benefit in kind).

Unless an employer makes it a condition of the employment that the employee makes his/her vehicle available for business use (which I reckon is very unlikely), the employer is going to have to supply a vehicle.

[debrakevin]

Thanks, Buildersmate. My son is going to do Environmental Health at uni and its a career which requires the ability to drive. But learning to drive is proving very tricky and we wondered if he could learn in an automatic instead. I'm not sure if he could work in an EH department and drive his own car all the time.

[buildersmate]

Ah, your question makes a lot more sense (to me) now.

Well let's see if anyone with more knowledge of the public sector comes back - because this scenario could apply to ANY public sector or local government employee who requires essential use car transport as part of their job. I have never worked for a public sector employer - just know a bit about HR policies, but I would imagine there are a few ABers around with experience of seeing this in action.

Where a person with disabilities has an adapted car and requires to drive on business, I have seen that as allowable (even when the 'norm' is to expect the driver to use a company car). But less sure about about those who have not (or are unable to) get a licence for anything other than an automatic.

[bednobs]

i worked in the public sector as a peripatetic nurse. My area was wide and i needed a car. You could either use your own and claim an allowance (and get ins for business use) or you could get a lease car from the lease car scheme (it was essentailly "your" car but you had to give it back at the end and pay for it)

[bushbaby_de]

It depends on the Council and what their parking provision is like. Most I have worked for offer company pool cars for employees to book for site visits. Some have enough parking to allow employees to use their own cars but normally prioritise those who live furthest from the office or have dependents. However where I currently work they also offer reduced season tickets for the public car parks so you can use your own car for work.