Portsmouth City Council and IBM pioneer red tape cutting scheme
Portsmouth City Council is pioneering a new way of cutting red tape to help business.
The council will work with IT and consulting services company IBM, which employs around 20,000 people in the UK, in a legal agreement that will reduce duplication of effort, and save and time and money.
They have formed what is known as a primary authority partnership in which the council will provide advice and reassurance on health and safety for all IBM's UK locations.
Portsmouth City Council will work with other authorities to ensure that inspection and enforcement action is consistent with advice and guidance that has previously been provided.
Cabinet Member for Community Safety Councillor Jason Fazackarley said: "As a partner in this arrangement we look forward to continuing to work with IBM which has strong links with Portsmouth. Health and safety is an important issue and this partnership will ensure that IBM receives the best advice from officers of the commercial team of Portsmouth City Council.
"It is a difficult time for businesses and I welcome the fact that IBM will be able to enjoy the benefits of working with a single authority which will ensure a consistency of regulation and help to reduce the burden of business regulation.'
For companies operating under two or more local councils, Primary Authority provides reliable and consistent regulatory advice from a single source when dealing with key aspects of environmental health, trading standards, health and safety, and licensing services.
Currently, businesses run the risk of prosecution, even if they follow official advice, if local inspectors disagree about how to interpret regulations. This can also result in discrepancies in protection for consumers, workers and the environment.
The Primary Authority scheme is administered by LBRO, the public body responsible for better regulation. Chairman Clive Grace said: "There is a good deal of discussion about cutting red tape and saving public money - it is agreements such as this where real action is demonstrated."
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More information on Primary Authority
Media enquiries to Jo Barker or Roland Curtis. Tel: 0121 226 4019.
Email: jo.barker@lbro.org.uk or roland.curtis@lbro.org.uk