A leading building control figures has branded the appointment of two fire brigade chiefs to run the construction safety watchdog as “bizarre” and “incredibly concerning”.
Geoff Wilkinson, managing director of compliance consultancy Wilkinson and a chartered surveyor, said the move suggested the government was taking a very narrow view of building safety.
Ministers this morning (30 June) revealed that London Fire Brigade (LFB) deputy commissioner Charlie Pugsley would replace Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stalwart Philip White as chief executive of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
Former LFB commissioner Andy Roe will chair an internal government board to oversee the running of the watchdog, which has come under fire for delays approving construction works.
Wilkinson said: “How on Earth are ex-LFB people the right people to head the BSR?
“It suggests the government sees this as a fire safety rather than building safety issue and I think that is incredibly concerning.
“The LFB has been criticised over the years for delays to the [building control] system when it was simply a consultee. You have to ask why [senior figures from within the brigade] have been chosen to lead [the process]. It seems very bizarre.”
Wilkinson’s worries were backed by a LinkedIn post by Matt Hodges-Long, founder of compliance software firm Building Safety Register.
He said: “My concern with the new MHCLG [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] structure announced today is that the root causes of the BSR failure are not addressed and the proposed leadership is not fit for the task.
“With regard to leadership I am sure Andy Roe is very capable but through my interactions with the organisation he has led for five years (London Fire Brigade) I have been struck by their lack of process, poor adoption of technology, inability to communicate effectively with the public and spotty approach to enforcement.
“Bearing in mind all of the above I remain cynical that this announcement will deliver the positive impact being sold to the press and public. I sincerely hope I am wrong.”
‘Worst of both worlds’
Speaking to CN, he said that the BSR needed a public-facing leader appearing in the media to reassure the industry and the public, combined with process improvements behind the scenes.
“But neither of those things have happened. So ultimately, we’ve got the worst of all worlds. And I don’t see that this change fundamentally addresses that critical problem.”
Wilkinson also questioned the timing of the latest appointments.
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee just 12 days ago launched an inquiry focusing on the work of the BSR. And a panel of construction industry leaders chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt is expected to publish its blueprint for improving local authority building control processes later this year.
But by bringing in Roe and Pugsley as well as confirming that the BSR’s multidisciplinary teams would be taken in-house, the government has stripped the HSE of its role and has introduced a fast-track system and recruitment drive to boost inspector and engineer capacity.
Wilkinson told CN this rush of activity could “undermine” the authority of both of the active inquiries.
“If they make different recommendations, is the government going to do yet another U-turn?
“I understand the government is under huge pressure to be seen to be doing something but you would expect it to wait for the recommendations of the two ongoing inquiries.”
He called for the application-management and compliance-enforcement roles of the BSR to be split, likening the regulator’s all-encompassing role to a car garage having to prosecute a driver for not having an MOT.
“You need to split processing and enforcement. Choice in application process would open up the market and drive efficiency.”
Resourcing concerns
Wilkinson also expressed concern over filling the 100 roles opened up by the latest government overhaul.
“If that is the case then is the resource are they bringing in people handling experienced in handling applications?” he asked.
Hodges-Long said: “Finding a hundred people. Well, okay. If you can find them, and if you can attract them into the organisation and throw them into the chaos, what are they actually going to do? How are they even going to scratch the surface of doing the job properly?”
A preconstruction director at one construction firm echoed these thoughts.
“Hopefully the people they appoint are subject matter experts and not people from the fire brigade,” they told CN.
“You might find that people aren’t working at the moment because of the hold-ups so they might be interested.”
Welcome news
However, Suzannah Nichol, chief executive of contractor body Build UK, backed ministers’ intervention on the BSR.
“The announcements this week show that the government has listened to industry and is taking action,” she said.
“We now have an opportunity to review where have got to, address the issues raised and ensure we are delivering safe buildings within a regime that is fit for purpose.
“It is a great demonstration of how we can make a difference when we all come together, are clear and consistent with our feedback and offer proposals to move forward.”
Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the Home Builders Federation, said he hoped the overhaul would “reduce the blockages industry currently faces and that has seen delivery of high rise developments grind to a halt”.
He added: “The new leadership team has a proven track record in delivering effective change and getting results and the industry is committed to working with them as they start to address the huge challenges they face. If they are successful in creating a more functional organisation, it will ensure the BSR is a more effective overseer of building safety and not a barrier to the government’s housing ambition.”
Stephanie Pollitt, programme director for housing at campaign body BusinessLDN, also backed the government moves.
“These reforms mark a significant step towards improving dialogue between industry and the regulator, reducing delays and progressing stalled sites,” she said.
“We particularly welcome the addition of new expertise to the regulator, which will be key to getting shovels in the ground on developments which should have been signed off in weeks but have instead been held up for months.”
Roe said creation of the BSR was a “watershed moment”.
But he added: “It is clear that the BSR processes need to continue to evolve and improve, to ensure that it plays its part in enabling the homes this country desperately needs to be built.
“I look forward to working with colleagues both in industry and the BSR to tackle the current issues and delays head on and help get those homes built safely.”
Minister for building safety Alex Norris added: “The establishment of the BSR has been fundamental to centralising safety in the construction process and it’s time to take the next steps to build on that precedent and create a system that works for the sector while keeping residents and their safety at the heart of the process.
“That’s why we’re announcing a package of reforms to the BSR today to enhance operations, reduce delays, and unlock the homes this country desperately needs – delivering on our Plan for Change.”
Read More
Greg Pitcher