Lloyds Management Ltd loses licence after 'worst ever' result
A firm that supplied workers to pick onions has had its licence revoked after receiving a government watchdog's "worst inspection result ever".
Oldbury-based Lloyds Management Ltd supplied workers to Worcestershire and Lincolnshire.
An inspection by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) uncovered 14 failings - including seven critical.
They included defective tyres and an expired tax disc on a vehicle used to transport workers.
Workers were being made to pay for their own protective equipment such as gloves and waterproofs, contrary to regulations.
The resulting 266-point score was the "worst ever", the body said.
Lloyds Management Ltd, based in Pope Lane, appealed but the original decision to revoke the licence has been upheld by employment judge David Perry.
Criticising director Prem Singh Johal, from Birmingham, Judge Perry said: "I am of the view that Mr Johal had little grasp of what is required of him as a principal, indeed he admitted as much."
The case has prompted calls from the GLA to amend the appeals process, which currently allows firms to continue trading while an appeal is pending.
GLA chief executive Paul Broadbent said: "In this case, the company whose licence we revoked did nothing but seek to delay the appeal hearing thus allowing them to continue to trade and make money."
No-one from Lloyds Management Ltd was available for comment.