Government reveals £42m plan to support delivery of building safety reforms

More than £42 million over the next three years will support the delivery of tough new standards for managing building safety for higher-risk buildings brought in by the landmark Building Safety Act, the Government has announced.

The package consists of a £16.5m grant to Local Authority Building Control (LABC), the representative body for local authority building control in England and Wales, and £26m to support the Fire and Rescue Services in England and the National Fire Chiefs Council.

The grant funding will enable local regulators to recruit, train and employ new Building Control Inspectors and Fire Inspectors. These local partners will support the work of the new Building Safety Regulator in overseeing the safety and standards of the design, construction and management of higher-risk buildings, as well as strengthening the sector as a whole.

Around 110 Building Inspectors and 111 new Fire Protection Officers across England will be recruited and receive high-quality training over a three year programme designed to direct skills and resources to areas with a greater distribution of high-rise buildings.

Minister for Building Safety, Lee Rowley said: “The Government is delivering important reforms under the Building Safety Act, including introducing the new Building Safety Regulator to oversee building safety and performance. This taxpayer funding will give additional resource to local regulators who will support the work of the Regulator in making buildings safer.”

Peter Baker, Chief Inspector of Buildings at the Health and Safety Executive said: “Local Authority and Fire and Rescue Services are vital to the delivery of the new safety regime for higher-risk residential buildings. I welcome the work to quickly increase capability and capacity so our regulatory partners can deliver their important roles. Our common goal is ensuring the success of the new regime in keeping residents safe in their homes, now and in the future.”

LABC Chief Executive, Lorna Stimpson said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to provide much needed additional resources for our local authority members in England. Building control surveyors are a scarce commodity and so it’s important that we start to invest in this previously underfunded but vital public service role. We welcome the role that local authority building control will have as part of the new building safety regulator’s multi-disciplinary teams, and in helping to implement the reforms recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt.”

NFCC Chair, Mark Hardingham said: “NFCC welcomes confirmation of the three-year funding for fire and rescue services to recruit additional staff to support the new Building Safety Regulator. We will be working collectively with others to ensure that the new Regulator delivers on the policy intent set out by Dame Judith Hackitt, and as part of that, establishes a sustainable funding model for fire and rescue services that goes beyond the initial financial package.”

Under the new regime, Building Control Inspectors, Fire Inspectors and Fire Engineers will be the local partner regulators of the new Building Safety Regulator in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The Building Safety Regulator will have new powers and responsibilities to ensure the safety of all buildings and will have additional responsibilities for how higher-risk buildings should be constructed and safely maintained.