Evaluation of Primary Authority
Context
The key driver for development of Primary Authority was to provide greater regulatory consistency and certainty for businesses that operated across a number of local authority areas. To evaluate whether Primary Authority was a successful tool in delivering consistency, LBRO commissioned RAND Europe to undertake a comprehensive independent evaluation of Primary Authority. All businesses, local authorities and those authorities acting as a primary authority were invited to participate in the evaluation. When the survey was sent out in November 2010, there were 131 businesses in a Primary Authority relationship, with 19 of those businesses being in a partnership for a year or more.
A report has been prepared by RAND Europe which has provided valuable lessons learned on the operation of Primary Authority and perceptions of value and benefits. This information has been useful in enhancing how Primary Authority works, and providing feedback to Government on recommendations for improvement. This report is available below.
What has happened since evaluation?
The number of businesses in a partnership has more than doubled since evaluation. By the end of September 2011, 69 different local authorities were providing Primary Authority services to 386 businesses. With the increase in the number of partnerships, it has become evident that Primary Authority is relevant to a variety of businesses of different sizes operating in different sectors. As at the end of September 2011, 43% of businesses within a partnership were from the wholesale and retail sector, 20% were manufacturers and 11% were in hospitality. Around six in ten of the businesses involved in Primary Authority are large businesses, the remainder are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). A detailed overview of other key facts relating to Primary Authority can be found in the Key Facts document below.
Publications
Key facts on Primary Authority (April - September 2011)