ACFO is turning the spotlight on operating expenditure in its first seminar of 2015, which takes place on May 8 at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon .

Entitled 'Effective Vehicle Choice and Fuel and Mileage Management', the Spring National Seminar will focus on a wide range of issues including: fleet funding options, calculating car and light commercial vehicle wholelife costs to ensure an effective vehicle choice, fuel management, tax and technical accounting with a wide range of expert speakers.

ACFO chairman John Pryor (pictured) said: “The parameters in respect of vehicle selection have changed enormously in recent years. No longer may one vehicle fuel type or one funding method suit fleets.

“Historically, fleets perhaps only had to consider whether they ran petrol or diesel vehicles and whether they were funding via a contract hire arrangement or outright purchased. Today there are so many issues to consider that can have a huge impact on an organisation’s tax burden and cash flow.

"This seminar will explore all the issues and provide fleet decision-makers with the information required to help them make the correct choice in respect of the right car for the right employee.”

The event is being hosted by Jaguar Land Rover and is sponsored by LeasePlan and Barclaycard Fuel+ in association with The Miles Consultancy.

Kicking-off the day’s event at 9am will be a ride and drive when delegates will be able to put a selection of the very latest Jaguar and Land Rover models through their paces. Vehicles available will include Jaguar’s premium C-segment contender, the XE - 2.0D 163PS Portfolio manual and 2.0D 180PS R-Sport manual and, from Land Rover, the Discovery Sport 2.2D 190PS HSE Lux.

The speaker line-up includes:

• Peter Cakebread, chairman of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and managing director of Marshall Leasing, who will provide an overview of the latest trends in fleet funding.
• Paul Jackson, managing director of The Miles Consultancy, who will focus on the importance of fuel and mileage management in keeping fleet-related costs and driver reimbursement charges under control.
• Mike Brazel, specialist consultant (funding and taxation) at LeasePlan, who will deliver an insight into company car wholelife cost calculations and the numbers that should be included.
• Mark Cartwright, head of vans at the Freight Transport Association, who will highlight why wholelife costs are critical when selecting vans for fleet operations.
• Dan Rees, senior manager, Deloitte Car Consulting Team, who will focus on technical accounting and the use of computer programmes to manage fleet costs.
• Caroline Sandall, ACFO deputy chairman and fleet manager, Barclays Bank, who will deliver a real-world view on the practicalities of financial fleet management.

Throughout the seminar there will be question and answer sessions giving delegates the opportunity to quiz the expert line-up of speakers on key issues pertinent to their own fleet operations.

Registration for the event has now opened and ACFO members can book their seminar place by emailing info@acfo.org 

Non-ACFO members wishing to attend the seminar can do so by joining the organisation.