Local jobs have been protected by the Scottish Government’s decision to appoint the Council’s Building Standards team as the sole verifier for new homes and buildings in West Dunbartonshire.
Verifiers protect the public by independently checking building work - from design through construction to completion - to make sure new homes, offices and public buildings meet all relevant building regulations.
The Scottish Government recently undertook a consultation on the introduction of private verifiers, which would initially be limited to the National House Building Council (NHBC), to assess and inspect new build houses, flats and maisonettes. Had the NHBC been appointed as a verifier it is likely there could have been a reduction in demand on the Council’s team.
Councillor Jim Finn, Convenor of Planning, said: “The decision to appoint the Council as the sole verifier of new homes and buildings until 2017 is great news, both for the Council’s dedicated and experienced team and also for the residents of West Dunbartonshire.
“We had always argued that by allowing private verifiers to enter the market it would threaten consistency, and potentially reduce the scrutiny of house builders by encouraging competing providers to offer a quicker but less rigorous building warrant process.
“Residents who buy in West Dunbartonshire can now be reassured that their property has been checked by our highly-professional team. Our building standards team are driven by ‘public service’ and have no conflict of interest or commercial pressure. They’re also both publicly and politically accountable, and provide a trusted local service with local knowledge.”
Minister for Local Government and Planning Derek Mackay said: "Scotland's building standards system is recognised as being one of the most successful in Europe. Local authority building standards services are helping support sustainable economic growth while tackling climate change, promoting sustainability and improving compliance with building regulations.
"Following consultation, I have decided that local authorities are still best placed to protect the public and to deliver the government's key building standards objectives. I am extremely encouraged by the strong commitment that local authorities have given me to continue improving their services. This will be achieved by introducing a new performance framework next May, with a focus on improving performance and predictability, while enhancing the customer experience.”
