Building consent authority scheme updates
Accreditation assistance package
More than $1.3 million has so far been allocated from a $3 million government fund to help territorial and regional authorities (council) prepare for accreditation as building consent authorities by 30 November 2007.
The most common projects for which councils have sought external assistance and support have related to:
- how to customise systems and processing documents
- how to undertake competency assessments
- exchange of information and support between councils
- examples of competency frameworks and technical libraries
- guidance on transferring or contracting options for councils that want to participate in alternative arrangements to accreditation (for example, transferring their statutory functions).
Some councils have used the assistance package for project management and guidance.
The package, administered by the Department of Building and Housing, is also being used to support training workshops to explain accreditation requirements and to support the use of case advisors to help councils assess what they need to do, and what help they may need, to achieve accreditation.
Ten workshops were held in the first round from March to May. A further series began in mid-June, focusing on information-sharing, particularly in terms of process requirements for accreditation.
The Department has established a list of providers available to help councils to prepare for accreditation. Knowing who is available around the country to do certain types of work is expected to streamline the process for councils needing help but having trouble finding the exact service they want.
The list is available from the Department's case advisors, though it is councils' responsibility to check the credentials of any provider they are considering engaging.
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has set up a web page 
where councils can share information and project reports about accreditation preparations.
Zone meetings
The Department's Chief Executive, Katrina Bach, and the Deputy Chief Executive Sector Capability, Bruce Girdwood, have attended four LGNZ zone meetings covering five zones to talk to council chief executives, mayors and councillors about the accreditation process.
They stressed the importance of senior management taking a leadership role in their council becoming accredited and offered the Department's assistance in any way possible. The main issues raised at the zone meetings were:
- where liability rests if councils transfer some or all of their building control functions
- a lack of understanding, or misunderstanding, of initial accreditation requirements
- whether International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) has the capacity to undertake all assessments and accreditation in time.
The Department has been in constant contact with councils to address these issues. Senior management have also been visiting councils that are working hard and making progress towards accreditation, but may have some challenges achieving it, to see what further help the Department can provide.
Applications for accreditation
Sixty-nine councils had applied to IANZ by early July for assessment for accreditation as building consent authorities.
IANZ is working through the assessment process with them, beginning with an off-site review of their documentation, followed by site visits for formal assessment and identification of corrective action. When IANZ is satisfied with the corrective action, it makes a recommendation for accreditation to an internal review body.
Several councils are close to being accredited. ANZ provides feedback on its assessment processes for common and regulation-specific issues, which the Department disseminates to councils via workshops, case advisors and building control updates to help them prepare for accreditation.
Consultation on registration standards and criteria
Submissions on proposals for regulations to set standards and criteria for the registration of building consent authorities are now being analysed.
Submissions on the consultation paper Building Consent Authority Registration Standards and Criteria Proposals closed in early June.
The paper focused on requirements that applicants for registration be 'fit and proper' to undertake building control work. The requirements will cover both councils and private building consent authorities. However, the latter will have to provide more information than councils, reflecting the fact that councils are already well-established and have building controls experience. The focus in considering private organisations for registration will be on whether they operate their businesses in ways that provide a high standard of consumer protection.
The proposals include a fee of $5,570 (GST exclusive) for private organisations to be registered. The major part of this cost is specialist expertise to check whether private organisations fulfil the Building Act requirement that they have 'adequate means' to meet civil liabilities. The estimated $21,000 cost of registering all councils will be absorbed by the Department.
When the submissions have been analysed, the Department will make recommendations to the Government on regulations setting out the standards and criteria for registration, the form and content of registration application forms, and the registration fees.
Subject to parliamentary processes, the Department is working towards having the regulations in place by October 2007.