The Government is calling on those who volunteer to set up and run community events and activities to share their experiences of local and national-authority regulators.
For the next six weeks, as part of the Focus on Enforcement campaign, those involved in the likes of arranging a jumble sale and organising Jubilee parties are being invited to share their views on how the way regulations are enforced can be improved, reduced, or done differently.
Business and Enterprise minister Mark Prisk said: “Volunteers are the unsung heroes of communities in this country. But dealing with the way rules are enforced can sometimes be more of a problem than the red tape itself – no one volunteers to be a bureaucrat.
“So, whether it’s an inspection by someone who won’t listen, or having to fill in the same form twice – we want to hear about it so that we can take action. We know there are good regulators out there, so we also want you to tell us on the website about the heroes – people who give really good guidance and help your event to happen well and safely.”
This is the third in a series of regulatory reviews. Businesses in food and chemicals manufacturing can still comment on regulatory experiences within their sectors.
Meanwhile, the HSE chair has had to defend health and safety against accusations in the media that “council jobsworths” had banned Jubilee bunting from being hung on lampposts.
Judith Hackitt responded to articles in the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and on the BBC, which reported on the alleged ban in Burnham on Sea last week. She said: “This is a classic case of health and safety being used totally inappropriately as an excuse for excessively risk-averse behaviour.
“Hanging lightweight bunting from lampposts is a low-risk activity and to suggest that it may cause lampposts to fall over is ridiculous.”
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It’s a bit like asking turkeys to vote for xmas…