Palmerston North first building consent authority to be accredited
Palmerston North City Council celebrated being the first local authority to be accredited as a building consent authority with a function in late July, at which the Building and Construction Minister Hon Clayton Cosgrove presented the council with an accreditation certificate.
Mr Cosgrove congratulated the Council, saying that its accreditation was a major milestone in building sector reforms.
The Palmerston North City Council was the first to apply for accreditation, with the on-site assessment by IANZ identifying only seven minor corrective actions. These were quickly addressed.
Mr Cosgrove told the ceremony that the Council's accreditation reflected its commitment to, and investment in, the task over the past two years.
'The Council has boosted its building control staff numbers by eight, from 12 to 20, and has put these staff through training programmes so they are well equipped to meet the new, high quality inspections and processing standards,' he said. 'The Council has also upgraded its information technology, with field staff now using handheld computers to input data into the database. 'These investments will directly benefit people who apply for building consents.
'You have invested in your people and your systems, and the hard work has paid off.'
Mr Cosgrove also praised the Council for arranging to undertake the building control functions of the neighbouring Manawatu District Council.
'I commend and congratulate both councils for working together like this, using one of the options for accreditation available under the Building Act. They will now use the same top-notch, accredited building control services to efficiently process building consent applications to a high standard.'
Palmerston North MP Steve Maharey said he was extremely proud of the Council being the first to be accredited.
'It has shown that the people of Palmerston North can have the highest confidence in the city's building control processes and building inspections,' he said.
'Building a home is about the biggest investment most people make in their lives, so they need assurance that it'll be built properly the first time. Our Council has shown that its systems and processes will ensure that happens from a building control perspective.
'Other Building Act reforms, such as the licensing of building practitioners, will ensure that it happens in terms of actual construction and design.
'Similarly, people investing in commercial building in Palmerston North can be confident that Council building control officers are completely on the ball in terms of those building activities.'
IANZ chairman Robin Pratt told the ceremony that the Council's building control department had been through a rigorous assessment process with experts in accreditation in building control systems, and in building design and construction.
'Our assessment team critically assessed the Council's processes and procedures as well as the competency of its staff and facilities,' he said. 'Inevitably, in first assessments such as this, some minor gaps in the Council's processes were identified, but the Council addressed these issues with enthusiasm and efficiency.
'Being the first to achieve accreditation is just reward for the tremendous amount of work they have put in.'
