Single building control service for North Worcestershire

Three Worcestershire councils have joined forces to offer professional advice services to people carrying out building work, in a bid to improve the efficiency and quality of service and save public money.

North Worcestershire Building Control became a shared service between Bromsgrove District, Redditch Borough and Wyre Forest District councils on Tuesday November 1.

As well as continuing to deal with the Building Regulations that set standards for the design and construction of most new buildings and many alterations, the new single service for the three council areas is able to offer extra advice on structural design, fire risk assessments, and thermal calculations. In addition, the new service sees site surveyors become more available, so they can be on-site according customers needs rather than at certain times of the day.

There is now a single telephone number for North Worcestershire Building Control, 01527 881402, and from January fees for the service will also be made the same across all three areas so that prices are consistent.

Bromsgrove District Council portfolio holder for planning and regeneration Cllr Kit Taylor said: “More and more councils are formally co-operating through shared services as it has become clear that it is a sensible way to provide local services residents want and need, while making the savings that have to be made and also preserving local accountability. North Worcestershire Building Control is the latest example of this.”

North Worcestershire Building Control manager Adrian Wyre said: “We work to ensure our buildings are safe, healthy, accessible and sustainable for current and future generations and this new single service means a consistent, customer-focused approach across all three areas. Our priority is the customer and ensuring we offer as much assistance as we can to help the build process. We are flexible and customers across the board will feel the benefit of our approach, and also that in the new service surveyors will be more flexible to make site visits.”

This shared service is hosted by Bromsgrove District Council.