As a relative newcomer to the BCA I have to say that I find this to be an exciting challenge and look forward to working with all the BCA board members, those who represent the BCA on both the technical and mediation panels as well as meeting and working with partners and stakeholders in government and industry. I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the outgoing chair Kenton May and secretary Kevin Dawson for all their hard work over the last year, during the CIOB’s term of office. It cannot be understated the amount of time and effort that it takes to organise and maintain the continuity and consistency of the BCA’s work.

As you’ll see from Kenton’s update and the soon to be published Annual report the last year has been particularly hectic, with the work carried out with BCPSAG, the Compliance surveys and the recent consultations of the Building Regulations and Building Control system, not to mention the various best practise and technical guides and mediation cases reviewed by the various panels.

The work of the BCA will continue and I trust that ministers, civil servants and service users will be reassured that the BCA is committed to its mission statement of providing ‘one voice for professional standards of building control and service’.

At the time of writing the BCA is putting together the finishing touches to its responses to the government’s consultations on Building Control and the Building Regulations amendments to guidance and this will be ready for the 27 April deadline.

Mediation cases are under scrutiny and the twelve members of the panel have been kept on their toes with some challenging cases – details of the decisions can be reviewed on the website.

Following the finalisation of the consultation, the technical working group will continue with their work in developing cross-party guidance – agreed by the public and private sector advisors. As a flavour we hope to shortly publish best practise on the application of fire safety guidance for the construction of residential buildings over 30m high. We have also asked the working group to review the guidance relating to FD20 fire doors used in domestic premises, also the application of multi-foil insulation systems, and the application of the Construction Products Association guidance for means of escape in domestic loft conversions particularly the option to use extensive fire detection and alarms in conjunction with a fire engineering report.

The BCA recognises the importance of the devolution of power from Westminster to the Welsh Assembly and the likely impact this might have on Building Control professionals working in Wales. As a result the BCA has extended an invitation to representatives in Wales to meet with the BCA to discuss how we might assist with any future changes to either the regulations or system in Wales.

Policy guidance on the Initial Notice protocol is currently being reviewed and I hope to give update on this in the near future. Similarly, guidance is also being drafted in relation to the transfer of projects between BCB’s either AI – AI; LA – AI; or AI – LA. Issues of best practise, arising from mediation cases, will also be closely considered and guidance developed as necessary.

Recent guidance on ground level egress for disabled persons has been developed and circulated to the representative groups, for inclusion in their respective journals and to circulate to their members. A copy of the guide can be downloaded from the BCA website.

Future BCA meetings are planned for July, October, and January and I’m looking forward to these and, in association with the other members of the BCA, contributing towards maintaining the positive collaborative image of the Building Control profession.

Your sincerely,

Wayne Timperley BSc (Hons) FRICS

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Anthony Burd said he would talk with to the BCA about future work including a detailed project covering unreported work, regularisations, reversions and prosecutions.

The BCA representatives felt that the meeting was positive and the Minister and the DCLG team were obviously pleased to see cooperation between LABC and ACAI through the BCA forum.

Both the research projects are available on the BCA website.  In addition, the research projects will be sent direct to key people within the construction and building control industry.

Please refer to the Press Release for briefing information.

BCPSAG/BCA Building Control Performance Surveys
The same day a second presentation was made to Building Control Performance & Standards Advisory Group (BCPSAG).  Again the response was very positive.  BCPSAG will be adopting both pieces of research as Building Control Performance Indication (BCPI) evidence and there was discussion on repeating the surveys annually or periodically, on a sampled basis, to enable gain annual insights into the performance of the Building Control industry.

At this meeting, the proposed new BCPI questions, previously accepted “in principle” by BCA members, were agreed and will be used in the next BCPI survey in May.

It was agreed by BCPSAG and BCA attendees to retain some simple questions on human resources in the forthcoming BCPI survey and these were agreed in outline.  The proposals involve reference to staff and qualifications.

This information is very important to gain greater understanding of building control industry staffing issues for use at both local and national level. This information additionally enables informed debate for the defence of our industry, can influence training and illustrate opportunities and direction within the industry.

Red Tape Challenge

The BCA responded to the Red Tape Challenge stating that the current Building control system is fit for purpose and should not be radically changed.

Building Regulation Approved Document Consultation Documents

The BCA members are actively involved with the consultation and proposals for changes to both the building control processes and guidance documentation, the intention is to send a co-ordinated response within the various timescales.

Mediation
There has been several further peer review Mediation cases principally involving the submission of Initial Notices, with this in mind the BCA is reviewing the content of the existing Guidance Note accessed on this website. The current edition remains valid until any revisions are completed.

The outcomes of the BCA Mediation Cases are available as additional guidance on the website to use to avoid further mediation and enable projects to keep to programme.

The next BCA meeting is scheduled for 25th April 2012.
My year’s tenure as the BCA Chairman on behalf of the CIOB has passed in a blur. As an Alliance we have achieved much, as reported in the Annual Report for 2011/2012, available soon. I wish to thank BCA members for their support and wish Wayne Timperley (RICS) best wishes as the new BCA Chairman for the coming year.

Kenton May MSc, BSc(Hons.) FCIOB, MRICS.

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First of all Happy New Year, we at the BCA are looking forward to a very busy 2012.

Since my last update it has been a busy few months. I am keen to share some of the subjects of discussion, BCA progress and successes that have been achieved during this time.

• We continue to work with Building Control Performance Standards and Advisory Group (BCPSAG) to assist in the development of updated Performance Indicators. There is now significant agreement on proposals within this workstream which is now correspondingly nearing completion
• The BCA have secured contributory funds from the CIOB, RICS, ABE, ACAI and LABC member bodies to continue our business into next year.
• We are in the process of developing and undertaking a Building Control staff survey. This is intended to include both the public and private Building Control sectors and will provide data to gain a picture of staffing issues, contribute to the defence of our industry, influence training and illustrate opportunities and direction within the industry.
• The BCA continue to have close a relationship with the DCLG, assisting where possible with the;

• “Red Tape Challenge”
• The “Green Deal”
• Review of Building Regulation
• Impact & understanding of “localism”
• On-going consultations

In the pursuit of a proactive approach to professional Building Control, the BCA have attended various events and discussions concerning Building Regulatory and other matters including;

• Compliance,
• Building Control Apprenticeships,
• A proposed Structural Engineers Registration Scheme
• Specific Technical issues and materials
• Welsh Building Control devolution
• Building Control opportunities in Scotland
• Attendance and presentation at conferences & summits
• Involvement in various technical Working Groups & studies
• Preliminary consultation regarding the codification of risks to fire fighters based on building construction types.

There have additionally been further cases that have successfully utilised the BCA Mediation Scheme for dispute resolution.

The next BCA meeting is scheduled for 25th January 2012.

Kenton May MSC, BSc(Hons.) FCIOB, MRICS.

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Time seems to have flown since taking over as Chairman of the BCA in April this year, it has been a busy few months. Accordingly I am keen to share some of the subjects of discussion, BCA progress and successes that have been achieved during this time.

• Firstly we have reviewed our current BCA Terms of Reference.
• The BCA have secured contributory funds from the CIOB, RICS, ABE, ACAI and LABC member bodies to continue our business into next year.
• Representatives of the BCA have continued to advise BCPSAG of the urgent need to overhaul the current key performance indicators. At BCPSAG meetings, the BCA have tabled several documents with positive suggestions, endorsed by BCA member bodies, to push the debate forward. We support the monitoring, updating and review approach mentioned in the June 2006 Performance Standards publication. The BCA as a body continue to engage in this on-going process.
• The BCA have continued close relationships with the DCLG, at our last meeting on 13th July 2011, the Alliance was addressed by Bob Ledsome (Head of Building Regulations and Standards Division) who outlined progress with respect to the current DCLG workstreams for Approved Document L, Approved Document M and consideration of building security & Building Regulation as well as more general government initiatives such as “localism” and the “Red Tape Challenge.”

The BCA have attended various other events and discussions concerning Building Regulatory matters including;

• Compliance,
• Building Control Apprenticeships,
• A proposed Structural Engineers Registration Scheme
• Specific Technical issues and materials
• Welsh Building Control devolution
• Building Control opportunities in Scotland
• There have additionally been two cases that have successfully utilised the BCA Mediation Scheme for dispute resolution.

The next BCA meeting is scheduled for 12th October 2011.

Kenton May MSC, BSc(Hons.) FCIOB, MRICS.

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The 2011 BCA Annual Report is now available for downloading as a PDF.

It can be downloaded from the Downloads page.

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today, Friday 17 September, signed an agreement with the Building Control Alliance (BCA), in a bid to work more closely to improve health and safety standards in the construction industry.

The agreement, which was signed at 11.00 today, at the Construction Industry Council’s  Offices in London, sets out how HSE and building control professionals will cooperate to help and support each other, for example in providing health and safety advice to the construction industry, but clearly distinguishes their separate regulatory roles and responsibilities.

The BCA represents those Building Control professionals responsible for ensuring compliance with Building Regulations, whether in Local Authorities or the private sector, and the professional bodies that accredit them. Building Control professionals regularly visit sites and are in an excellent position to promote good health and safety practice to duty holders.

Philip White, HSE’s Chief Inspector of Construction, signing on behalf of HSE said:

“This agreement clearly sets out how HSE and BCA members can work more closely together. It is a further example of how everyone involved in the construction industry can spread the health and safety message, especially to the hard to reach small sites where the majority of fatal accidents take place.

“Today’s agreement does not change a duty holder’s responsibility to protect workers health and safety but has created another opportunity to get potentially life saving advice to those responsible for health and safety standards on construction sites.”

Diane Marshall, Group Head of Building Control at NHBC who signed the agreement as Chair of BCA said:

“Building Control professionals are ideally placed to raise awareness of health & safety issues on construction sites during the course of their inspections. This agreement creates a mechanism for Building Control professionals to discharge their professional duty of care in a simple and straightforward manner by working closely with our HSE colleagues.”

Construction is one of Britain’s most dangerous industries. Over the last 25 years, 2800 construction workers have died. Despite a welcome reduction in construction fatal accidents in recent years, a large number of construction workers still die or suffer major injury or serious ill health as a result of their work.

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The new website www.buildingcontrolalliance.org  allows members to communicate in a number of different ways.  The discussion page allows Building Control Surveyors to keep up to date with the current issues facing the industry, while the links to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook provides an alternative way to remain in touch with present subjects and topics.

Launched in 2007, the BCA is an industry group aimed at setting and maintaining high standards in the building control industry whilst responding to Government proposals using a coordinated approach.  The BCA also provides a mediation service to resolve differences between Local Authorities and Approved Inspectors.

Diane Marshall, Chairman of BCA and Group Head of Building Control at NHBC, said: “We are delighted to be unveiling this new-look website. We hope it will offer a better level of engagement with our members and the wider building control community, and help us meet our goal of setting best practice across the industry.”

The founding bodies of the BCA are:
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
The Association of Building Engineers (ABE)
Local Authority Building Control (LABC), and
The Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors (ACA)

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Notes to Editors

Media contact at Mandate:

Kate Jones or Emily Feltham
kate.jones@yourmandate.com, 020 3128 8130
emily.feltham@yourmandate.com, 020 3128 8122

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We think you will agree the site looks amazing and has so much to offer.  Whether you are a professional in the Building Control Industry or just looking to find out more about the group, who we liaise with and our achievements to date, you will find the mix of information and interaction on the site accessible to all.

You can download any number of important industry documents, find links to relevant industry information, all at the click of a mouse or alternatively navigate to the Discussion page where you can get the latest on the current issues facing the industry.  For all you social networkers out there sign up to allow Facebook to connect with the website and get chatting or link up to Twitter and keep in touch with present subjects and topics with your friends and colleagues.

You can contact us or any of the organisations affiliated with the BCA by clicking on “Contact Us” and simply sending an email.  We would be delighted to receive your feedback on the new look website and hope that you enjoy all the refreshing features that it has to offer.

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