AWARD-winning British Gas Services fleet manager Paul Holmes has been promoted after competing for a more senior position with colleague Alan Gorfin, who has now left the company. The duo scooped this year's Fleet News Security Award for the spectacular progress they made in reducing the huge British Gas Services fleet's insurance bill with a range of measures.

Until the new appointment, they managed the 7,000-vehicle fleet jointly, but a change of direction in human resources policy, led to the creation of the new £43,500-a-year post. Holmes, fleet support manager, and Gorfin, fleet operations manager, both applied for the position - along with 100 external applicants - with Holmes prevailing after a lengthy selection process. Despite the offer of a new role with BG Services, Gorfin opted to take voluntary redundancy and is now looking for a new job in the fleet industry.

'I was disappointed not to get the job because I felt I had contributed quite a lot towards it, but at the end of the day - despite the external applicants - it was a head-to-head situation with Paul,' said Gorfin.