LADBROKES BACKS A SURE THING
LADBROKES, one of the biggest and most recognisable names in betting, has signed up to a new regulatory relationship, as part of a pioneering UK scheme for better local regulation.
The company, which is the market leader in retail bookmaking in the UK, has teamed up with Liverpool City Council to establish the local authority as its single point of contact - its Primary Authority - for health and issues affecting its outlets all over the UK.
Chris Cerroni, Ladbrokes' Director of Security and Safety, said: "It is with great pleasure that we enter into this agreement with Liverpool City Council under the Primary Authority Scheme. As a company we will continue to strive for excellence in all our health and safety activities and this partnership will assist us greatly."
Primary Authority (PA), run by the public body for better local regulation LBRO, provides companies with reliable and consistent regulatory advice from a single source - the Primary Authority - when dealing with key aspects of environmental health, trading standards and licensing services. Government estimates suggest the scheme could eventually save business across the UK up to £50m a year.
Liverpool City Council's executive member responsible for health and safety, Councillor Berni Turner, said: "We're pleased to be in partnership with such a well-established, household name and Ladbrokes have long recognised the benefit of committing resources to managing health and safety. They have shown they're proactive in putting systems in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.
In light of the information available that shows the rising cost of work related accidents and ill health, we're happy to work with any organisation that believes good health is good business, and is committed to continuous improvement."
LBRO Chair, Clive Grace, said: "We are delighted that Ladbrokes and Liverpool are taking such a lead in this. Their relationship shows how the Primary Authority scheme continues to grow with more - and very different - businesses, seeing clear advantages in terms of consistency and confidence in regulation across their operations. We are willing to bet that many other businesses in the sector will see the benefits too."
"It's not just the big names such as Ladbrokes who can take advantage of this initiative. Primary Authority is available to all businesses, regardless of size, which operate across two or more council boundaries, including small and medium-sized enterprises trading over the internet."
For businesses a primary authority partnership will mean consistency of local inspection and enforcement activity. Currently businesses can run the risk of prosecution even if they follow official advice if local inspectors disagree about how to interpret regulations. This lack of consistency can also result in discrepancies in protection for consumers, workers and the environment.
For local authorities primary authority will provide the opportunity to influence compliance nationally via the primary authority giving advice to its partner business as well as saving other local authorities resources by allowing them to focus inspection activity where it is most needed.
Ends.
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The Primary Authority scheme was designed by the Better Regulation Executive and approved by Parliament as part of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008. Primary Authority came into law on 6 April 2009. Primary Authority partnerships are available to any business that trades across two or more council boundaries, regardless of size. Small businesses that sell from websites, for example, have the same access to consistent advice about trading standards and health and safety rules as big manufacturing or construction companies. The scheme will improve compliance to the benefit of business, consumers and communities.
- 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
Media enquiries to Jo Barker or Roland Curtis. Tel: 0121 226 4019.