Better Regulation Delivery Office
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From your health to house prices – your council can make a difference
New research shows that the way local councils enforce regulations can have wide ranging effects on your community – anything from boosting the price of your house to health benefits.
A report published today from LBRO, the public body responsible for simplifying local regulation, looks at 48 potential benefits to communities in general and to business, including issues that have a direct impact on quality of life, including anti-social behaviour, crime and violence.
Entitled Impacts and Outcomes (and delivered by RAND Europe), the report shows regulators’ actions do have demonstrable results for the quality of life in communities and provides a toolkit for identifying, measuring and managing them.
Chair of LBRO, Clive Grace, said: “Local authority regulators check whether our air is clean, food is fit to eat, workplaces are safe and companies trade fairly. It’s not too strong to say their work influences everything from the general health of a community through its impact on things such as alcohol misuse and consumer protection; or even house prices, when tackling issues such as antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping.”
In spite of their importance, local authority regulatory services account for only a small share of local government spending - slightly less than one per cent of total expenditure in 2008.
And because there has been so little research around the wider impacts of local regulatory activity, officers have fond it difficult to prove their value to their local authorities, their communities and local businesses, which has led to problems when setting priorities. LBRO says only 55 per cent of services are able to make any measurements of impacts in any area.
Clive Grace said: “You cannot properly manage what you cannot measure. Local regulatory services can directly improve our quality of life and this report shows how to prove it.”
This report comes with a toolkit to help local authority regulators in planning budgets and priorities, and raising their profile, and represents significant forward steps in enhancing the regulatory system.
Please click on this link to see the report
S:\AAAAAA LBRO\Objectives - Programmes - Projects\Improve the LARS system\Develop a WCLRSS\World Class Programme\Impact Module\Impact-Outcomes-Research\Outputs_RE\Impacts and Outcomes Final Report small.pdf
Notes to editors
1. The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) helps local authorities improve their environmental health, trading standards, fire safety and licensing services – reducing burdens on businesses that comply with the law while targeting those who flout it. It was incorporated as a government-owned limited company in May 2007. Following the commencement of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 on 1 October 2008, it now 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
2. The LBRO Conference - ‘Working together for better local regulation’ will take place on the 19 November 2009 at the Hilton, London Metropole Hotel. This essential conference will explore national government’s vision for the future of better regulation policy. Delegates will hear from high level speakers including: Karren Brady, Managing Director, Birmingham City Football Club, Ben Page, Chief Executive, Ipsos MORI UK and Ireland and Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive, Health and Safety Executive. To book your place at this event please visit: http://www.neilstewartassociates.com/sa257/
