Primary Authority Scheme

The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 (RESA) came into effect on 1 October 2008 and, amongst other things, it makes provision for more consistent and coordinated regulatory enforcement by establishing the Primary Authority Scheme. Partnerships formed under the RESA apply to a wide range of regulatory services as well as to fire safety regulation. The scheme is part of the Government’s drive to reduce burdens on businesses by ensuring that necessary regulations are enforced more efficiently.

The Primary Authority Scheme is a statutory scheme administered by the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO). The scheme supports better local regulation and enables businesses to form a statutory partnership with a single regulatory authority, which subsequently provides business with robust and reliable advice for other authorities to consider when carrying out their regulatory activity.

Regardless of its size, a business (or recognisable group of businesses, e.g. trade bodies, franchises and other representative groups) with premises in different fire authority areas can request a primary authority partnership with a single fire authority in relation to regulatory compliance.

Businesses should be able to invest in fire safety measures, systems and policies in a manner consistent with their business model and compliant with the law. This should help businesses to invest in safety and to grow the business into new areas with confidence. Primary Authority addresses inconsistency and delivers assured advice and inspection plans as well as opportunities for earned recognition. The scheme fits well with the Government strategy for better regulation by offering businesses:

• Advice and support about fire safety;
• Confidence and certainty about fire safety compliance;
• Reduced burdens of compliance;
• Better targeting of regulatory resources;
• More consistent regulatory requirements;
• Safer and better-protected premises;
• Clarity about their responsibilities.

Further information
Find out more about the Primary Authority Scheme via the following links:

• Primary Authority Extension: Nurturing Partnerships for Growth;
• Primary Authority Handbook;
• Primary Authority Register.