Fleet decision-makers' organisation ACFO is launching a new online Digital Brief service for members to provide updates on key industry issues.

The new service will start on Thursday, May 3, with a briefing on fleet-related tax changes that have been introduced in 2018/19 and those that are planned for future years.

The first Digital Brief webinar will take the form of a 15-minute question and answer session between ACFO chairman John Pryor and Richard Cox, senior consultant at vehicle funding and fleet management solution specialist Arval UK.

The conversation will be available for ACFO members to listen to in their own time from 1pm on May 3 via the ACFO website.

Pryor said: “The Digital Brief is an added value service for members. As well as addressing ‘what fleet decision-makers’ need to know, we will be aiming to address some of the nuances and ‘what if’ scenarios that the tax changes will trigger and could impact on fleet policies and company car choice lists.

"The Digital Brief provides another opportunity for ACFO members to obtain a wealth of information without leaving their desks. ACFO has already held two webinars - on the 2017 Autumn Budget and GDPR - and they both proved popular.

“There is an unprecedented level of change taking place in the fleet industry and insight and advice is critical for employees with fleet responsibility, irrespective of their experience.

"We believe that the webinars and initiatives such as the Digital Brief will continue to be popular for our busy members and also act as a recruitment platform for new members.”

Issues to be raised at the May 3 webinar will include:

• Changes in company car benefit-in-kind tax including an increase from 3% to 4% in the diesel supplement
• The impact of Optional Remuneration Arrangements (OpRA), which came into effect last year, but could leave employees with demands for unpaid tax in 2018/19
• Increases in Vehicle Excise Duty and the introduction of a diesel car supplement
• A tightening of the capital allowance thresholds
• Rises in car and van fuel benefit charges and van benefit charge.

Following the ‘Digital Brief’, ACFO members will be able to ask follow-up questions by emailing the organisation’s helpdesk.

ACFO hopes to hold further Digital Brief question and answer conversations, which could include the introduction on May 25 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the arrival of the new Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure for car and light van emissions and fuel economy.

Pryor added: “The ACFO board is also open to suggestions from members as to the subject of any future Digital Brief.

"If anyone has an issue they would like to hear discussed then they can suggest it via the website.”