Local Better Regulation Office: LBRO is helping business save money and prosper

Business is seeing savings from the Primary Authority scheme operated by LBRO, the independent technical expert on better local regulation.

For companies operating under two or more local councils, the Primary Authority scheme, set up under the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act, provides reliable and consistent advice from a single source when dealing with environmental health, trading standards, health and safety, and licensing services.

Currently, businesses run the risk of prosecution, even if they follow official advice, if local inspectors disagree about how to interpret regulations. This can also result in discrepancies in protection for consumers, workers and the environment.

80 businesses covering more than 18,000 premises currently have a primary authority partnership with a local authority, as a gateway to simpler, more successful local regulation, based on new relationships.

Supermarket chain Asda signed up to primary authority with Wakefield Council in November 2009. Their Trading Law Manager, Stuart Wiggins, said:
"Primary Authority delivers the consistency of advice from regulators that businesses need to operate efficiently, particularly if they are national operators. Having one local authority as a single point of contact saves time by providing advice and guidance to other enforcers on national policies and procedures and assists with a risk-based approach to enforcement. This reduces the regulatory burden, saves costs and helps business be more competitive."

Organic food firm Daylesford Organics and West Oxfordshire District Council have become the latest partnership to pioneer the scheme that will reduce time and money spent on administration, and make it simpler to deliver safe products to customers.

John Lewis, Pret A Manger, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Penguin Books, Rank Group PLC and Enterprise Inns, have all signed up to primary authority partnerships with Westminster City Council, making Westminster the largest Primary Authority in the UK.

LBRO Chair Clive Grace, said:
"LBRO’s own survey of business views, jointly conducted with the National Audit Office, will be published shortly, and will bear out the underlying message that there are signs that local regulation is starting to work better for business. There’s plenty of work to be done but we should all take heart from this good news."

LBRO is also responsible for better local regulation initiatives such as Trading Places; a programme that helps business and local regulators better understand each other.

By spending time at business premises, officers can see the challenges business face, and how their decisions affect them. It means a more trusting working relationship, better communication, and fewer misunderstandings.

Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive, James Lowman; said:
"Trading Places is probably the most effective way in which a business can almost immediately change the system for the better.  Simply by getting to know their local enforcement officers and showing them the challenges they face, they can establish a better working relationship and avoid costly misunderstandings."

Bakery firm Greggs are opening their doors to a number of local councils in the North East in July. This is just one of the ways Trading Places can work for any size of business dealing with officers enforcing animal welfare, trading standards, environmental health, licensing or health and safety.

LBRO is also urging businesses to identify priorities in its new risk-based approach to regulation, which helps reduce the burden on them and benefits consumer protection at the same time.

LBRO’s call to business is backed by the British Chambers of Commerce. BCC Policy Advisor Steve Hughes said: “Reducing administrative burdens on business is high on our members’ wish list. A risk-based approach, with the focus on outcomes rather than ticking boxes, is key to addressing issues relating to red tape. The economic climate has altered considerably since the current priorities in regulation were set, and the change of emphasis makes good sense.”

Matthew Goodman, Head of Policy at the Forum of Private Business, supports the way LBRO is engaging with the business community through its Business Reference Panel. He said:
"The panel is an excellent opportunity for business organisations to directly shape the landscape of regulation.  It demonstrates that Government and regulators are listening to business concerns, and hopefully those messages are changing the way businesses are treated."

And Martin Rawlings, Director of Pub and Leisure at the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said:
"BBPA are pleased to be supporting an independent retail review of controls surrounding access to age restricted products being carried out on behalf of the Local Better Regulation Office.  We hope that the review’s evidence based recommendations will be taken forward by LBRO to drive greater consistency in law and regulatory approach in this important area."

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Notes to Editors:
The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) helps business to save money and prosper by ensuring their voice is heard in the creation and local delivery of the rules and regulations they’re required to follow. It is a catalyst within the regulatory landscape; using its unique relationships to energise all those involved in making local regulation work for Britain.

LBRO delivers the tools needed to cut red tape for UK business and provide the right level of targeted protection for consumers, workers and the environment. Its area of responsibility covers environmental health, trading standards, fire safety and licensing. Following the commencement of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 on 1 October 2008, LBRO operates as an executive non-departmental public body, accountable to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills through the Better Regulation Executive.

LBRO is governed by an independent Board, has a staff of around 25 and is based in central Birmingham. Our remit covers the whole of the UK and we liaise closely with the devolved administrations to ensure our work in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is appropriate. For further information please visit www.lbro.org.uk

Media enquiries

LBRO: Jo Barker or Roland Curtis. Tel: 0121 226 4019.

Email: jo.barker@lbro.org.uk or roland.curtis@lbro.org.uk

Contacts

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