Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Building Control Partnership presented the detail of the half yearly operational report, which monitored the performance, service delivery, development and action plans of the Partnership, which covered the building control service across South Hams and Teignbridge District Councils and West Devon Borough Council, for the period up to the 30 September 2018.

He advised that staff had been trialling new mobile software through their iPads, and had noted particular benefits when working in the field and more remote locations. The final report of the Independent Review of the Building Regulations and Fire Safety was published in May and would provide a new regulatory framework, which will help to improve the focus on building safety during design, construction and refurbishment.  A new regulatory framework has also been recommended for higher risk buildings, with implications for the Partnership, as for any local authority, to ensure there were staff who were formally qualified and with proven competencies to enable it to deliver in accordance with the new framework. The Local Authority Building Control (LABC) have also set up an independently audited Quality Management System, which the Partnership has signed up to, with formal registration likely to be confirmed by 2019.

An update was also provided on Brexit and how that would affect the building control system in terms of regulations detailing the built environment standards.

Resolved – The report be noted.

Council is recommended to approve the following resolution:

That under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of except information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Chairman moved the following resolution:

Resolved – That under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Building Control Partnership presented the detail of the half yearly operational report, which monitored the performance, service delivery, development and action plans of the Partnership for the period up to the 30 September 2018.

The Chairman referred to the recommendation for funding an extension of a temporary Technical Assistant post for six months, and he proposed that the post be extended to twelve months, but with a review after six months to establish the demand for the service. This was seconded by Councillor Robert Steer.

Resolved - The report be noted and the request for continued funding of the temporary Technical Services Assistant post to support the team be approved, for an additional period of twelve months, with a review after a period of six months to establish the demand of the service.

To consider the report of the Head of Partnership.

The Head of Building Control Partnership presented an update on the financial performance of the Partnership.

Resolved – The report be noted.