1. Introduction
1. This document is the General Enforcement Policy for Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. The document shows transparency, consistency and proportionality. It explains the main ideas officers follow to make sure everyone complies with the Council legislation. The policy conforms to the Regulators’ Code (Better Regulation Delivery Office [BRDO]) April 2014. There are other, specific rules for different services such as those listed in Appendix C, but this explains the main ideas.
2. Our primary purpose is to ensure regulatory compliance and enforcement which protects the public. The Council will deliver well organised and consistent work focused by risk assessment. The Council will make sure everyone follows the rules. We will focus on the most important things to keep everyone safe. This will provide a positive approach to those regulated and achieve compliance.
3. The Council’s Corporate Priorities are to provide protection from harm for individuals and the environment. This enables businesses to flourish without unnecessary burden of inspection and regulation. This improves the health and wellbeing of those living, working and visiting the Borough.
4. The Council will carry out good enforcement practice. We ensure that we adherence to the current legislation, guidance, and codes of practice, that influence this policy (see Appendix A).
5. The Council will maintain good standards and conditions that impact on the environments of all who live, work and visit Rotherham.
6. The Council is committed to good enforcement practice and adherence to the current legislation (see Appendix A, opens in a new tab).
7. The Council will exercise our regulatory activities in a way which is
o Proportionate – our activities will reflect the level of risk to the public,
o Accountable – our activities will be open to public scrutiny.
o Consistent – our advice to those regulated will be robust, reliable and similarly advice provided by others will be respected.
o Transparent – those regulated will be advised appropriately so they can understand what is expected of them and what they can expect in return.
o Targeted – resources will be focused on higher risk enterprises and activities, reflecting local need and national priorities.
8. The Council will avoid imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens, and policies. Procedures and practices will consider supporting or enabling economic growth by considering economic impacts. We will also consider costs of compliance with a view to improving confidence in compliance of those regulated and encouraging compliance.
9. The Council will ensure that regulatory officers have the knowledge and skills to:
o Understand the principles of protecting the public
o Support those that they regulate
o Understand those they regulate
o Understand the statutory principles of good regulation and how activities are delivered under the Code.
10. The Policy will be published on the internet. Relevant service standards and function specific Enforcement Policies drawn up by each individual service area, will be available in electronic or paper format upon request.