Agenda and minutes

- Daniel Swaine, Trading Standards and Business Partnership Manager

The Acting Head of Neighbourhood Services presented a progress report on the development of the proposed Business Regulation Partnership in line with delivery of Year Ahead Statement Key Commitment 45.

The Partnership will provide businesses with a single point of entry to access advice on rules and regulations.  It would draw together the Council’s Regulatory Services through a web site providing links to a range of organisations.  There would also be a telephone contact number so that business enquiries could be made to 1 point of contact.  This would ensure ownership of enquiries and a Partnership protocol would be in place to ensure enquiries were properly signposted, followed up and dealt with (Appendix 1 of the report submitted).  It was anticipated that once the Partnership was operational more organisations would participate.

The Partnership would provide 6 monthly newsletters to businesses advising on new rules and changes to regulations.  They would also include information from all partners and businesses who wished to receive the documents and would be asked to subscribe to a mailing list co-ordinated by the Trading Standards Service.

Delivery of the Partnership was the responsibility of the Trading Standards and Business Partnership Manager.

The following points were clarified:-

-              The website would contain quality information that would provide core information with links to other partnership sites.

-              The preferred option for the website would be for it to be a stand alone similar to that of RIDO and as such be considered as a hub for local businesses to access outside web sites of individual partner bodies.

-              The Council would provide the leadership role and the organisation of the site.

-              To protect against any liaibility, it was the norm for such sites to provide a caveat disclaimer against any instances of wrong information issued.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the positive progress in establishing a  Business Regulation Partnership be noted.

(2)  That the financial implications be noted and a further report be brought following confirmation of the mechanism to prioritise funding to the initiative.

- Daniel Swaine, Trading Standards and Business Partnership Manager

The Acting Head of Neighbourhood Services presented a progress report on the actions determined from the Review of Regulatory Services to modernise services.

The review had identified 17 key actions which had been captured and presented in the Improvement Plan.  The Plan was designed to achieve SMART improvements which coincided with the delivery of more efficient and effective services in line with the Government’s better regulation agenda.  One of the key actions was the establishment of a Business Regulation Partnership (see Minute above).

Performance management of the Improvement Plan fell within the terms of reference of the Better Regulation Working Group.  The Group comprised key Council officers, external representation when necessary and Councillor McNeely who had volunteered as the Elected Member Better Regulation Champion.  A briefing note outlining the role of the Member Champion was attached to the report (Appendix 2).

To standardise and simplify guidance notes and application forms, a pilot project had been undertaken by the Licensing Unit of Neighbourhood Services using ‘Crystal Mark’.

As a further part of the Improvement Plan, the Trading Standards Team was undertaking a pilot project to measure the impact of pre-notifying businesses of inspections. 

Discussion ensued on the principle of ‘Champion’ of Elected Members including specific reference to the Better Regulation Champion role.  The following points were raised:-

-              Potential conflict of interest particularly at Planning and Licensing Boards that may require declaring

-              Was the role such to merit remuneration?

-              Clarification of the relationship of the Champion role with Scrutiny and Advisers

-              How would a Champion enhance the Cabinet Member?

-              How many Champions were there, which areas and were they Advisers?

Resolved:-  (1)  That the positive progress in delivering the Improvement Plan to modernise the Regulatory Services be noted.

(2)  That the Chief Executive be requested to submit a report to the Cabinet on the terms of reference for Elected Member Champions and taking into account the points raised above.

(3)  That a further report, following consideration of the issue by Cabinet as detailed in (2) above, be submitted to a joint meeting of Cabinet Members for Neighbourhoods and Economic Regeneration and Development Services on the role and responsibility of the Elected Member Better Regulation Champion.

(4)  That a further report be submitted to the December meeting on the current trial in Trading Standards of a pre-notification system for inspections.

(5)  That the Head of Communications be invited to the next meeting to report on the Corporate adoption of ‘Crystal Mark’ or other “Plain English” scheme.

Affordable Housing

Planning Policy Statement No. 22

Security by Design

Enviro-Crime Strategy Update

Modernisation of Regulatory Service – Role of Champions, pre-notification of inspections, ‘Crystal Mark’

Agreed:-  That a further meeting be held on 6^th November, 2006, commencing at 10.00 a.m.