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- Does your council know what its responsibilities are for its land, premises and staff?
- Have your staff or councillors undertaken training?
- Are there premises, activities or staffing risks on your Risk Register?
- Are there any risk assessments and when were they last reviewed?
It is commonly found that councils have little experience of health and safety or premises compliance. Many clerks and councillors have not received specific training to explain their considerable responsibilities in respect of health and safety.
In the past, there may have been less of a focus on health and safety and compliance with regulations; however, it is vital that this is addressed.
Local Council Consultancy (LCC) can help councils understand their responsibilities and provide a Health Check Report, to help address any weaknesses in this important area.
Through the analysis of documents and talking with the clerk, our consultant can assess your council’s management of premises and safety.
We can then make recommendations which help ensure that key knowledge gaps are filled, and the actions required to address any weaknesses or non-compliance.
Typically, for a small council with staff but no land or premises, the review takes around three days including telephone discussions with the clerk and the preparation of a short-written report. For councils with land and/or premises, the process will take a little longer, depending on the extent of land and property ownership.
A review recently undertaken for a town council in North Wales took around five days, which was spread over a month, and has provided a comprehensive and helpful report that has become the basis for the council’s new Health and Safety Action Plan.
For more information on this LCC service, please contact us.
