Members appointed to Building Control Independent Panel

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The government has appointed four experts to join Dame Judith Hackitt on the Building Control Independent Panel, set up to review the building control system in England.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed the appointments yesterday (24 April).

The panel, set up in response to the Grenfell Tower Panel inquiry, will focus on issues including commercial incentives and the potential creation of a national authority model.

Hackitt, who chaired the post-Grenfell review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, had already been named as chair of the panel.

She also advises the UK and Australian governments on building standards and sits on the International Building Quality Council.

Hackitt will be joined by:

• Elaine Bailey, former chief executive of Hyde Housing and a non-executive director at MJ Gleeson plc, McCarthy & Stone Shared Ownership and Andium Housing;
• Ken Rivers, a non-executive director at the Health and Safety Executive and former Shell executive;
• Nick Raynsford, former housing minister and ex-chair of CICAIR, the former private sector building control body register; and
• Dr David Snowball, former acting chief executive of the HSE and current non-executive director at the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority.

The panel will submit its findings to ministers in the autumn. Terms of reference will be published shortly on the government’s website.

Minister for Building Safety Alex Norris MP said the new panel would help “shape a safer, more accountable building industry”, while Hackitt said the panel would “work at speed but with an open mind” to raise standards.

The Building Control Independent Panel was first announced in the government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry on 26 February. It will operate on an advisory basis.

Source: MHCLG press release