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Retail enforcement pilot

This was set up in 2004 to encourage councils to find new ways of reducing the regulatory burdens on law-abiding businesses, with resulting spin-off benefits for consumers and workers. Clusters of environmental health, fire safety, licensing and trading standards services cooperated more closely over 12 month periods, to better coordinate inspection and enforcement activities and focus resources on higher risk companies.

Responsibility for managing the pilot was transferred to LBRO from the Better Regulation Executive in September 2008. As well as providing support and guidance to the participating councils, we conducted many interviews with them to capture the lessons learned in relation to four key themes:

• Working in partnership
• Sharing information
• Using technology and other tools
• Focusing resources and influencing culture

This work culminated on the two reports below. These will underpin a series of briefings to help local authorities reduce business burdens, improve consumer protection, and run their regulatory services more efficiently. 

REP Lessons Learned Report (24/03/2010 PDF - 1.9 MB / 60 pages)

This is a review of the lessons learned during the retail enforcement pilot, produced by the Centre for Decision Analysis and Risk Management at Middlesex University. It draws on the experiences of the geographic clusters of local authorities that tested risk-based, collaborative approaches to the inspection of businesses, highlighting the challenges and successes.

CRED Report Overview (22/10/2009 PDF - 73 KB / 4 pages)

This is our summary of the key themes of the CRED Report. We welcome the findings and will work with business, government and the local regulatory community to take forward the recommendations made.

CRED Report (22/10/2009 PDF - 372 KB / 49 pages)

This details the research undertaken to review and assess the methodology of REP in a business environment by the Centre for Regional Economic Development (CRED) at the University of Cumbria. It includes case studies that highlight the experiences of six companies varying in size, sector and geographical location.