Homebase and Argos help red tape cutters turn 100
More than 100 primary authority partnerships have now been signed between councils and businesses - marking a major milestone for a groundbreaking scheme to cut burdens on business.
An agreement between the Home Retail Group - the parent behind Argos and Homebase - and Milton Keynes Council means 15,000 premises and 250,000 employees are now covered by the Primary Authority scheme, administered by LBRO, the public body responsible for better regulation.
Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform Ian Lucas said: "As more and more primary authority partnerships are signed, the benefits to the regulatory system as a whole will increase. Everyone benefits when the system works better - local authorities can focus their resources more tightly, business sees a reduction in red tape and consumers enjoy enhanced protection."
Chairman Clive Grace said: "Primary Authority is the gateway to better local regulation. With household names such as Argos and Homebase coming on board, this agreement is more than just a milestone for us. We are pleased businesses are recognising the benefits offered by Primary Authority and taking advantage of them.
"Groundbreaking schemes such as this are where the good intentions about reducing the regulatory burdens on business actually come to fruition. Here we can point to credible results and justifiably claim we have the confidence of business."
Home Retail Group has signed up to primary authority partnerships that will apply across 700 Argos stores and more than 300 Homebase stores around the UK. These will greatly simplify how they work with local authorities on credit, fair trading, explosives, product safety age restricted sales, agriculture and metrology (weights & measures) matters.
Paul Downhill, Home Retail Group's Consumer Affairs Manager, said: "We have high hopes that this enhanced primary authority relationship with Milton Keynes Trading Standards will lead to better regulation of our businesses and proportionate, risk-based enforcement activity which reflects the responsible approach that we apply to our legal obligations."
For companies which operate in different local council areas, Primary Authority provides a single point of contact for environmental health, trading standards, health and safety, and licensing services.
It cuts down duplication of effort when complying with the law but most importantly for business, it ensures that advice is reliable and consistent. Currently, businesses run the risk of prosecution, even if they follow official advice, if inspectors from different local authorities disagree about how to interpret regulations.
Milton Keynes Trading Standards Manager Karen Ford said: "The Home Retail Group is an important employer in Milton Keynes so it is imperative we work with them to ensure they wish to continue operating from our city. We have had a relationship with the company for well over 20 years and we have evolved with each other.
"The economy is still trying to revive itself so all we can do to support our businesses in Milton Keynes can only serve to benefit those that wish to operate within the laws we enforce."
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CAPTION: From left, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Council, David Hill, LBRO Board Director David Thurston, and Gordon Bentley, Company Secretary of Home Retail Group.
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Media enquiries to Jo Barker or Roland Curtis. Tel: 0121 226 4019.
Email: jo.barker@lbro.org.uk or roland.curtis@lbro.org.uk