building control northern ireland presentation to the better regulation stakeholders’ forum on 15...
TRANSCRIPT
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
presentation to the
BETTER REGULATION STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM
on 15th November 2012
byBilly Gillespie BSc DMS CEng CEnv MICE FBEng
Assistant North Eastern Group Chief Building Control Officer
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
REGULATIONS - WHY ?
PROTECT - WHO ?
PUBLIC
CONSUMERS
WORKERS
BUSINESSES
ENVIRONMENT
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
REGULATIONS - ensure
SAFETY,
HEALTH,
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY &
ACCESS
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
REGULATE - How ?
A Statutory function administered by
26 District Councils in Northern Ireland
Grouped together into –
5 GROUPS + BELFAST
PRESCRIPTIVE FUNCTIONAL
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
Group Units – Co-ordinate
Monitor
Advise
Influence
Educate
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
REGULATIONS - HOW ?Set of “reasonable standards”Applied in an -
EQUITABLE CONSISTENT & PRACTICAL manor
Most businesses/people want to comply with the law / regulations
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
6 Principles for Good Enforcement
STANDARDS
OPENNESS
HELPFULNESS
COMPLAINTS
PROPORTIONALITY
CONSISTENCY
Good Enforcement Policies and Procedures
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
STANDARDSSet a level of Service & Performance
Consult with business & stakeholders
Customer Survey
Measure performance & publish figures
Publish on website
Quality Assessed
Fair and open
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OPENNESSProvide information on regulations
Guidance notes – disseminate widelyAdvice leafletsPress releases
Provide information on enforcementDiscuss problems of compliance with customers
Business support team – be approachableWebsite advice
Partnership exercises
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HELPFULLNESSApproachable
Customer friendly
Customer Surveys
Focus on preventative activity
Seminars on regulations
Discuss future progress with builder
Advice on legal requirements and best practice
Training seminars
Customer helpline – 24 hour
Add Value
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HELPFULLNESSMeet customers needs
Out of hours inspections
Use technology to speed up & improve service
Use specialist teams
Co-ordinate with other Agencies
Communicate in “Plain English”
Hold regular meetings with customers
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SERVICEComplaints system
Explain complaints procedure to customersLeaflets outlining how system worksEasy to use and understandEncourage comment/complaint
Satisfaction surveysFeedback on complaints & satisfaction survey
Publish figuresLet the public know what we do
Information leafletsAppeals process
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PROPORTIONALITYEnforcement action proportional to the
seriousness of the offence (risk)
Intelligence driven enforcement
Opportunity to put things right
Prosecute as a last resort
Try to achieve compliance by persuasion
Prosecute serious offenders
Target high risk activities
Publish enforcement/prosecution guidelines
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
CONSISTENCYPromote consistency in level of service
Uniformity of interpretation & enforcement
Agreed level of service
Policies and procedures for all operations
Regular monitoring and auditing
Publish figures
Liase with other Building Control Departments
Regular meetings with customers/stakeholders
Co-ordination with other enforcement agencies
Type approval for major customers
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
Enforcement ActivityAssistanceLeafletsOpportunities to rectify contraventions
by oral notification
Advisory visits2-way discussionCommunication
by written notification
Right of AppealExplain processes/steps
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
2005 The Hampton Review
“Reducing Administrative Burdens: Effective Inspection and Enforcing”
- too many forms- duplicate information requests- multiple inspections on businesses
Recommended –
a RISK BASED SYSTEM
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
A Statutory function administered by
26 Councils with 5 Group Units
Independent
Impartial
Accountable
Appeal to DFP
To Elected Representatives
All decisions discoverable in Court
Ombudsman
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
6 Principles for Good Enforcement(5 Principles of Better Regulation
from Regulators’ Compliance Code 2008)
STANDARDS - targetedOPENNESS - transparentHELPFULNESSCOMPLAINTS - accountablePROPORTIONALITY - proportionate CONSISTENCY - consistent
buildingcontrolnorthern ireland
THANK YOU for your attention
Billy Gillespie BSc DMS CEng CEnv MICE FBEng
Assistant North Eastern Group Chief Building Control Officer
