Partnering - The Way Forward
LABC has more than 2,500 successful national partnerships with construction companies and professional advisers. But what is an LABC Partnership and how can you benefit?
LABC partnering enables construction companies, architectsand other designers to ‘partner’ with their preferred local authority for the plan examination stage of the building control process. Your organisation can choose to have a national or regional link to LABC. This will provide you with a single point of contact for your plan examination and advice to ensure all your projects are regulatory compliant.
The aim is to reduce unnecessary delays by statutory authorities and, where possible, speed up the process leading to Building Regulation approval. The Partner Authority accomplishes this by liaising with the Inspecting Local Authority and providing professional advice to the Partner Company before and during the design stage.
The Partner Authority Scheme gives a Partner Company a one-to-one relationship with a Partner Authority for the plan approval aspect of all construction projects irrespective of location throughout England and Wales, protecting the confidential nature of construction design and procurement and acting as an effective conduit to the local authority where the project is to be built (Inspecting Local Authority) on behalf of the Partner Company. There are also good links with our counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland and the scheme is beginning to aid the processes there also.
The Partner Authority will assess the plans for a project and issue a “decision advice note” to the local authority in whose area it is to be built, leading to Building Regulation approval being issued by that Inspecting Local Authority. This eliminates any perceived inconsistency, bringing a greater degree of predictability to the designer.
At the same time, Local Authority Building Control’s local knowledge and history of site conditions, and other valuable site specific information is incorporated as an integral part of the Partner Authority Scheme.
This now well-established approach gives a company over 350 potential local authority partners, committed to working with their partner company/companies and as Inspecting Local Authorities whenever the proposed building work is located in their area. They will also work with each other to reduce site delays both in the preconstruction stage and during work in progress on site.
A brochure and application form are obtainable from LABC Head Office or from your nearest local authority. The form seeks details of your company and your preferred choice of local authority with which you would like to be partnered.
Once the selection of a Partner Authority has been agreed,the local authority you have selected will arrange for representatives from the company and the local authority to meet to discuss the details and scope of the partnership.The first meeting should be seen as an occasion to begin building a good relationship. To this end there should be a frank exchange of information aimed at establishing a clearunderstanding of the requirements needed by the company and the local authority for the partnership to work.
The Inspecting Local Authority can also help set up a meeting with the Development Team - departments such as Planning, Highways, Fire and Environmental Health. The purpose is to establish more integrated corporate working practices that allow local authority departments to work in unison. More details of the Development Team Approach can be obtained from your local authority or from the LABC Head Office.
LABC is keen to help companies with their construction projects, using experienced Building Control Surveyors to support your construction team and to advise your designers and construction managers about Building Regulations and related legislation. A Full Plans assessment will be provided for all projects that you decide to place under the Partner Authority Scheme. That assessment will lead to a formal decision by the Inspecting Authority acting on the advice received from the Partner Authority.
So, make sure you have a full complement on board by teaming up with Local Authority Building Control.
