Skip to main content

How LABC supports local authority building control

LABC QMS & ISO 9001:2015

ISO 90011

To support local authorities, LABC has developed a plethora of Management & Audit Support resources which provides information, guidance and feedback to help local authorities prepare for Building Safety Regulator audits. The LABC Quality Management System (QMS) has been adopted by over 95% of local authorities operating under the LABC ISO 9001:2015, which is UKAS accredited and independently audited by British Standards Institution (BSI). 

The LABC ISO and QMS has separate versions for England and Wales due to the divergence of the building control regime and has been designed and continues to be developed to align with the Building Safety Regulators Operational Standard Rules (OSRs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and provides local authorities with a structured system of processes and procedures, to support:

  • Compliance with regulatory and stakeholder requirements
  • Enhanced service user satisfaction

The LABC Standards team manage the QMS, providing training, offering a wide range of support and undertaking a programme of audits across local authorities in England and Wales. The team also collates annual local authority audits, and reviews these to determine areas for additional focus to further improve service provision.

Within LABC’s Management & Audit Support resources – members have access to a ‘self-assessment’ tool, this focusses on the four keys areas of the OSRs, allowing users to assess their current performance. 

  • Systems and controls – LAs must have risk-based systems in place to plan, deliver, and review building control functions, ensuring legal compliance and safeguarding public safety
  • Persons – Individuals delivering the building control function must be competent and appropriately registered (registration - n/a for technical support staff), LA must make suitable training available
  • Building control functions – LAs must carry out their duties efficiently, including the assessment of plans submitted for approval, inspection of work, enforcement of the regulations and engagement with statutory consultees
  • Enforcement and intervention – LAs are responsible for taking enforcement action (the BSR undertakes this role on higher-risk buildings) against non-compliant works and ensuring timely interventions to mitigate risks.

Service Reviews

CLIPBOARD SURVEYING1

LABC provide a range of services and support to enable teams to manage and deliver their services effectively and efficiently. Every local authority service will face their own specific challenges and that some may require additional support. The self-assessment tool may have highlighted areas of non-compliance or concern. LABC can carry out an independent and pragmatic review of your building control service, which can be tailored to your specific needs, covering all aspects of service delivery, including:

  • Building control functions – audited against the LABC ISO 9001:2015, which aligns with the OSRs
  • Resourcing – considering issues such as capacity, resilience and competence
  • Financial management – in terms of compliance with current regulations and in accordance with guidance
  • Strategic value – benefits to corporate objectives 

If you'd like to discuss service reviews in more detail, please contact membersupport@labc.co.uk.

Training

CPD TRAINING1

LABC has created a full range of formal qualifications, accredited through the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), specifically designed to support career development for all of those working in public service building control; from technical support staff through to the most experience building inspectors. If you would like more details on our qualifications please contact learning@labc.co.uk.

In addition to the formal training on offer LABC also deliver a wide range of competence-specific-learning through short courses, conferences and targeted CPD subscriptions. LABC also offers additional training for senior managers and those who support the financial management of the building control function. 

Financial Management Training for Senior Leaders

Unlike private sector building control (RBCAs), local authority building control services must operate in accordance with the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010 and are advised to follow guidance prepared by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

The training delivered by LABC for senior managers, building control managers and business finance partners covers all aspects of building control finance, including:

  • The Charges Regulations (statutory requirements)
  • CIPFA guidance (costs, apportionment, calculating hourly rates and charges)
  • Group activities and sharing of experiences and knowledge with your peers

If you or someone in your team would be interested in enrolling on one of our finance courses, please contact bookings@labc.co.uk

Competence Validation 

Anyone undertaking restricted activities (e.g. plan checking and site inspections) must be registered with the BSR at the appropriate class. All RBIs must abide by The Code of Conduct for Registered Building Inspectors and a key aspect of the code is for building inspectors to only undertake work at the level they have validated their competence at (unless they are supervised by an RBI who is registered at that level). There are currently three approved schemes to enable assessment of RBI competence:

LABC established the BSCF in 2021, as a community interest company, set up to provide a range of services to the construction industry. Working for the public benefit, public safety and consumer protection, the creation of the BSCF enables investment in the competence, ethics and culture of the wider construction industry. The BSCF scheme achieved Independent Assessment Scheme (IAS) status for the Registration of Building Inspectors (RBI’s) following approval by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in July 2023 and continues to be developed under UKAS and ISO/IEC 17024.

The BSCF has a range of schemes in place to cover all the validated competence classes – if you would like more details on these and any related matter please contact certification@thebscf.org. 

Partner Authority Scheme

COLLABORATION1

LABC administers the Partner Authority Scheme (PAS), which is shared by all local authorities in England and Wales. Architects and designers can choose to work with a local authority building control team to undertake all pre-application and plan appraisal work, regardless of the project’s geographical location. All types of organisations are partnered with local authorities ranging from corporate clients to small and medium-sized enterprises – they tell us that they “hugely benefit from having a dedicated building inspector who is able to answer their questions and deal with their applications”. The partner local authority and local authority where the works are taking place collaborate; discussing site-specific issues such as foundations, as well as arranging the necessary statutory consultations. This enables the client to benefit from local knowledge as well as expertise from a national network of building control experts. Find out more about the Partner Authority Scheme here.

Occasionally local authorities may face resourcing issues and LABC facilitates support between our England and Wales network for plan appraisals from members with capacity.

Raising awareness of local authority building control

Building Control holds a unique position within the local authority setting. It is the only statutory regulatory function which is subject to competition. Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs – formerly known as Approved Inspectors) are private sector companies, who are able to deliver the building regulation function. 

As the formal enforcing body for the building regulations, it is the local authority's statutory function to ensure they effectively enforce the building regulations in their areas. However, like any other service, building control must also be client-focussed, and gain the trust and respect of its users whilst maintaining independence as a Regulator.

Key benefits to using the local authority service for building control are:

  • impartiality
  • local knowledge
  • cost recovery rather than profit driven
  • longevity
  • scrutiny and overnight 

There are a wide range of benefits associated with using local authority building control; LABC provides local authorities with a range of support to raise awareness of local authority building control and support the development of long-term working relationships with architects, agents, contractors and clients including:

  • LABC Building Excellence Awards – these awards are the biggest of their kind in the building control sector – recognising construction excellence across the whole range of building projects and the people that make them happen to promote high standards of performance, quality and innovation in the construction industry
  • Engagement workshops – delivered by experienced practitioners – providing practical tips and training on engaging with clients and raising the profile of local authority building control services
  • LABC Front Door – LABC's homeowner website is designed to explain things in a simple and straight-forward way, with signposts to other consumer resources, technical information and simple search tools to help homeowners find the right construction professionals
  • LABC website – our website has dedicated content for homeowners and construction professionals as well as providing a wealth of resources for our members
  • Postcode search – our websites include a postcode search allowing users to find the details of their local authority so that they can make applications directly
  • Site Inspection App – this free to use site inspection request mobile app offers service users the option to conveniently contact their local authority building control team to request a site inspection