Preparing for Primary Authority

1
Preparing for Primary Authority Session 6
becoming a primary authority
2
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Objectives for this session
• Outline the primary authority's role
• Define key concepts
• Demonstrate the scheme in action
• Identify sources of more information

3
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Key facts...
• Any UK business trading across 2 or more council
  boundaries is eligible to form a primary
  authority partnership
• Will normally be voluntary arrangements covering
  single regulatory function or full range of
  authority's responsibilities
• Need not be council closest to company HQ or
  existing home / lead authority

4
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Key facts continued
• Important decision at outset about resourcing of
  partnerships
• Role includes advising the business AND dealing
  with queries from other authorities
• Formal legal agreement required to underpin the
  relationship, covering regulatory remits,
  geographical limits, limitations of liability,
  review and termination process

5
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Key facts continued...
• LBRO will assign an account manager to advise and
  guide every primary authority partnership
• LBRO will register all partnerships. Willingness,
  resources and capacity are key factors in this
  decision
• Failing partnerships can be revoked

6
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Grocery is a national supermarket chain with
  branches in every UK district. It has a primary
  authority relationship with Anytown District
  Council for health and safety. The success of
  this arrangement in improving compliance and
  minimising ill health absence means the business
  now wants to set up a relationship covering its
  forecourt petrol retail operations, which are
  subject to separate metrology and licensing
  regulations.

7
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Can Anytown District Council extend its agreement
  to include petrol retailing operations?
• No. Metrology is a county council function, and
  petroleum licensing in Anyshire is done by the
  local fire and rescue authority
• Can Anyshire's fire and rescue service become a
  primary authority?
• Yes, but only for those statutory functions that
  are in scope petroleum licensing and explosives
  licensing

8
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• Key concepts
• Registration LBRO formally recording the primary
  authority agreement between a business and local
  authority. Triggers the provisions of the RES Act
  2008
• Nomination LBRO's formal power to appoint one
  local authority as partner to a business
• Revocation LBRO's formal power to dissolve a
  primary authority partnership

9
Primary Authority matters...

• If you want to support business effectively,
  especially during the recession
• If you want better intelligence about a firm to
  enable better targeted action
• If you want to use the right interventions to be
  efficient and drive compliance
• If you want to build expert teams with specialist
  knowledge

10
PA.6 becoming a primary authority

• For further information see
• Sample partnership agreement
• Testimonies of pilot authorities
• LBRO's statutory operational guidance
• BERR's Guide to the Regulatory Enforcement and
  Sanctions Act 2008
• Visit www.lbro.org.uk