WIREDGOV

The public body for better local regulation, LBRO, could help councils get new powers to secure compensation for consumers, following today’s publication of the Government’s Consumer White paper.

The influential paper heralds a potentially major shift in how councils can help consumers achieve redress. A key initiative would see LBRO working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on compensation pilots within councils, developing the approach to awarding local authorities the powers to apply alternative sanctions such as restorative justice.

Councils would be considered for the new powers based on how they demonstrate the better regulation principles, in line with the Excellence Standard currently being developed by LBRO with its “World Class Coalition” partners. The partners include the Food Standards Agency, Health and Safety Executive, Office of Fair Trading, LACORS and professional bodies. The standard is currently being tested through work in 60 local authorities with LACORS, Coventry City Council and Westminster City Council.

“A Better Deal for Consumers - Delivering Real Help Now and Change for the Future” is designed to help pull the country out of recession by giving people more confidence in buying goods and services. It addresses a number of important enforcement areas where LBRO has been building the evidence base to underpin policy for economic prosperity and consumer protection.

LBRO is tasked with working with key regulatory, local authority and professional bodies to develop national approaches to issues such as the safety of imported goods at ports and creating a new competency framework for local government regulators.

The paper acknowledges the 2009 shared working report commissioned by LBRO and commits the Government to working with LBRO to promote improved working across authority boundaries and use of shared services.

LBRO Chair, Clive Grace, said: “LBRO is determined to help councils acquire new powers for consumer redress. The pilots will need to have the Better Regulation principles running right through their DNA, because business will need to be confident that the powers will be used appropriately. We are also pleased that the evidence we’ve built up on imported goods and shared services are starting to inform Government policy.”

LBRO has actively welcomed the paper’s key themes of protecting consumers from scams, cons and poor quality goods and building prosperity through informed decision making and trust in reliable businesses. The themes match LBRO’s ambition to help local authorities make prosperity and protection a reality for their communities and deliver solutions to consumer concerns around consumer information, law and protection in the internet age - all designed to create a regime fit for the modern day consumer and drive the rogue operators out of business.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The principles of Better Regulation are:

o Accountable
o Targeted
o Proportionate
o Consistent
o Transparent

2. 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

3. The summary report on Shared Working in Regulatory Services commissioned by LBRO from LCS Ltd will be available on the LBRO website.