Supporting Compliance: Effectives Guidance and Advice to Business

Effective guidance and advice

1.Assurance

2.Appropriateness

3.Accessibility

1. Assurance Primary Authority: A New Model of Regulation

Assured advice, a joined up local system that saves businesses money

£250,000 SAVING FROM ONE PIECE OF ADVICE

•Legally recognised partnership between business and Local Authority

•Provision of legally assured advice

•Inspection plans to provide national certainty

•Building business support relationship and trust

Primary Authority•Primary Authority allows businesses to form a statutory partnership with one local authority, which then provides robust and reliable advice which other councils have to take into account. Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2007

• The scheme enables businesses to benefit from clearer, assured advice and more consistent enforcement.

•Government has extended Primary Authority to (smaller) businesses where they share an approach to compliance. This includes franchises and trade associations. Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013

• The scheme creates a joined up regulatory system that saves businesses time and money, improves public protection and consumer confidence.

Primary Authority • 433 local authorities

HEAD OFFICE

PRIMARY AUTHORITY

LOCAL PREMISES

ENFORCING AUTHORITY

Information

Advice

FeedbackSupport

Delivering Compliance

Controls Reporting

How PA should work in practice

Primary AuthorityCoordinated partnerships

• 33,500 ACS members

CO-ORDINATOR PRIMARY AUTHORITY

BUSINESS ENFORCING AUTHORITY

Information

Advice

FeedbackSupport

Delivering Compliance

Advice Queries

How PA should work in practice

• Why - that’s how business works in the UK – and in Europe?

• Who - importance of coordinators e.g.

• Is there any evidence it works?

Primary Authority in Practice

Primary Authority Awards 2013The Primary Authority Awards recognise exceptional work of local authorities, businesses and individuals within Primary Authority.

Last year’s winners:

Partnership for:

• Age restricted sales,

• Fair trading

• Food safety and hygiene

• Food standards

• Health and safety

Outcome:

• Improvement in average National Food Hygiene Scheme rating from 4.3 in Oct 2011 to 4.8 in Feb 2013

• A drop to zero prosecutions and enforcement notices, for an estate of over 900 premises across the UK.

• The partnership has raised standards and added rigour to business processes.

2. AppropriatenessBusiness Advice

Safer Food, Better Business:Food Standards AgencyNew EU requirements were due to

increase compliance costs for 400,000 SMEs

An optional, business friendly management system

Contains a pull out step-by-step checklist and diary pages to record checks and was tailored to different business sectors

87% of SMEs reported that it helped them manage their businesses

45% felt that it made their businesses more profitable

Worked with 33 high risk premises to identify barriers to compliance and provide support to address them

57% reduction in the number of high risk premises Complaints reduced by 45%

Chinatown Initiative: Westminster City Council•A significant number of persistent high risk food premises were identified •Its attractiveness as a tourist destination was linked to its culinary reputationChinese Masterchef was developed

Businesses pay charges outlined in a published guidance document, in accordance with the assessed level of risk

Investment in capital equipment to reduce discharges leads to a reduced level of charges

Operational Risk Appraisal:Environment Agency •Provides a consistent way of assessing the environmental risk of businesses’ activity•Three ‘tiers’ based on the risks of the given activity, its nature, location and management

3. Accessibility.gov.uk

•The gov.uk website provides a single source for all government information.

•Business have a single portal for regulatory advice and guidance

Better Business for All BBfA is a partnership approach to addressing local regulatory issues .

The purpose of BBfA is to build a local partnership between businesses and regulators to promote growth –

•Easing real and perceived burdens for business

•Changing the way local regulation is delivered on the ground

•Creating confidence in businesses, customers and regulators that protections remain

In summary

National

Regional

Business

Local

Business Reference PanelTrade Associations Policy Ministries

Better Business for AllBusiness Associations Local Regulators

Service StandardsPremises Inspectors

Primary AuthorityBusinesses Regulators

Advice should be1.Assured

2.Appropriate

3.Accessible