What is being trialled?

Warwickshire County Council, working with the district councils of Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon and North Warwickshire Borough council, and the London Borough of Bexley are all trialling a range of new processes that co-ordinate and streamline routine planned inspections across trading standards, environmental health, health and safety, food standards and fire. These include:

• A single joint risk and business performance assessment model which simplifies five existing models, that can be used as a strategic tool for sharing collected data and planning a joint approach to business inspection;

• Video based interpretation of legislation to better inform and educate business on what they need to do to comply with regulatory requirements enhancing local officers role in the provision of information and advice;

• Alternative methods for assessing compliant business behaviours making greater use of self-assessment and, where appropriate, giving a much lighter regulatory touch to business that can demonstrate good management of risk in their businesses;
 
• A conciliation service for when business experiences difficulties within local authority areas and a proposed service for resolving conflicting requirements from different regulatory areas;
 
• A mechanism for the provision of feedback to business on how it is performing with a view to driving up standards of compliance, dealing with poor performers and tackling rogue traders.

Although the pilot aims to reduce the number of routine planned inspections, which will provide direct benefit to business.  Consumer and worker protection will also be enhanced, because the local authority staff will share information on businesses so they can direct their efforts where they will have most impact.  Any savings in routine visiting will be redirected into educating business, running intelligence led campaigns which targeted poor performers and those who trade illegally.

What Happens Next?

The Pilot trials will run throughout 2006. An interim report on its outcomes and decisions on future roll-out will be published in March along with a road-map for future testing and evaluation and possible wider roll-out.

Its recommendations will play a vital part in establishing the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO).

The LBRO evolved from the Hampton report and the Government’s better regulation agenda. It will promote risk-based, proportionate enforcement of trading standards and environmental health and will help ensure resources are joined up and focussed on priority areas. It will secure improved consistency and co-ordination for all businesses through a fair regulatory framework.