Author: Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Admin and author of Talking Auckland Blog ( http://voakl.net )

Building Consent Performance Impresses

·

International Audit Body Impressed

 

From Auckland Council:

Building consent performance impresses assessment body

 

Auditors from International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) have been impressed by the ‘huge steps’ Auckland Council’s Building Control team has taken over the past two years to improving its service.

The auditors were acting for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

By law, council has to achieve and maintain accreditation for certain functions these include consenting, inspection and certification.

IANZ has recommended that Auckland Council continued to be accredited as a registered Building Consent Authority (BCA) without any corrective action requests being raised. This is an uncommon result for a BCA let alone one that operates full services out of more than one office.

The auditors noted much improved processes, systems and record keeping.

Ian McCormick, Auckland Council’s Manager of Building Control was pleased with the IANZ comments.

“Maintaining the status as a registered Building Consent Authority is a strategic imperative for council. We will continue to build on this success, working with the local development community to deliver systems that are more efficient and therefore more affordable for the industry,” he said.

 

One of the significant challenges the team faced was upskilling many technical staff to match new ministry requirements for tertiary level technical qualifications.

“This achievement is the result of a great team effort, with people working hard to support their colleagues, leading training sessions and staff studying after hours to obtain the qualifications required,” said Mr McCormick.

In recent years, the department has managed a 13 per cent increase in residential building consent applications, as well as providing support to the Christchurch recovery effort.

The council first achieved accreditation upon amalgamation in 2010. Such audits are scheduled every two years.

 

Further Information

The BCA accreditation and registration scheme is designed to help improve the control of, and encourage better practice and performance in, building design, regulatory building control and building construction.

 

It requires that any territorial authority or regional authority (council) carrying out building consent, inspection and approval work be accredited by a building consent accreditation body against the standards and criteria in the Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006. The council must then be registered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment against the standards and criteria in theBuilding (Registration of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2007.

 

The accreditation and registration of BCAs will:

  • help assure the public of the quality of building controls
  • help promote consistent, standardised and ongoing good quality practice in building control
  • help identify good building control practice and provide mechanisms for sharing this information throughout the sector and with other interested parties
  • help foster continuous improvement in building controls at national and local level
  • help ensure better technical capabilities and resourcing of building controls
  • provide an impetus for much closer and more formal relationships among BCAs, and between BCAs and technical consultants/contractors
  • provide incentives for improving performance and raising standards in building control.

—–ends—–

 

Go to know when it comes to building my house down the track

 

A Home for Life?

·

English and National are thinking in 1 Dimensional terms again which is pretty easy to level against the Right Wing. Probably because they see the world in black and white rather than the full spectrum of colours it really is.

The Left Wing arguably can think in three dimensional terms thus non black and white type of thinking.

I agree with what John has put here for the State Housing situation insofar as this is what National should be doing. That is thinking in three dimensional terms……
Something that is not very hard to do (although that will lead me to a STEAM vs STEM debate – for another time)

Professor Mayhem's avatarSlightly Left of Centre

When there are thousands of people on a waiting list for a state house, should we be allowing people who have taken the hand up provided by the state, made something of themselves to occupy state houses permanently?

Yes, we should.

Should those houses remain state houses once the tenants are able to pay market rent/mortgage repayments?

No they shouldn’t.

We’re the Government to implement a programme whereby tenants who could afford to buy their home, either directly, or as a rent to buy scheme (without the fish hooks in private r2bs) then we should be giving them that opportunity. Thus giving the tenant the opportunity to become a homeowner.

If this was to be done it would allow the government to balance its social responsibility to provide welfare housing, while allowing it to release capital to be reinvested in higher priority housing areas.

What is lacking in Bill English’s…

View original post 107 more words

Fireworks Clarification

·

Council Clarifies on Fireworks

 

From Auckland Council

Clarifying use and sale of fireworks

 

Guy Fawkes has already started off with a bang and Auckland Council wishes to remind people of the dos and don’ts of buying and using fireworks.

Under government legislation, fireworks are available for only four days prior to Guy Fawkes, so sales will end this Wednesday evening, 5 November. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has strict retail requirements and retailers cannot sell to anyone under the age of 18. Additionally, Auckland Council does not permit fireworks sales in public places unless the seller holds a Street Trading licence.

There are rules in the Auckland region under the council’s Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw regarding the setting off of fireworks in public places. People are not allowed to light fireworks in public places unless they have written approval from the council.

Anyone setting off fireworks – whether at home or at a public display – should take extra care not to endanger people, pets or property around them and:

  • read instructions carefully
  • make sure that pets are indoors and out of harm’s way
  • think of your neighbours and don’t let fireworks off at unreasonable times, such as late at night.

 

If you wish to start up the BBQ or brazier, remember to use only dry, untreated wood so smoke is not a nuisance for neighbours.

Residents should contact council if they are concerned about the use of fireworks in public places or late night noise from fireworks. Council staff and Police are also patrolling beach/foreshore areas where there have been issues with the setting off of fireworks in previous years.

 

Further Information

  • For complaints regarding the sale of fireworks, contact the EPA during working hours:http://www.epa.govt.nz/hazardous-substances/pop_hs_topics/Pages/Fireworks—know-the-rules.aspx
  • For complaints regarding noise or the setting off of fireworks in public places, please contact Auckland Council at any time on 09 301 0101.
  • Complaints can be made directly to the Police where fireworks are being set off/thrown in a manner that is endangering people, as the Police have enforcement powers in relation to fireworks endangering people under the Summary Offences Act.

—-ends—-

 

I also note the Parliament is considering a full ban on sale (and use) of private fireworks. Thus I have the following to say:

This is where self regulation against your fellow peers is important. If they are doing something illegal or dumb then KICK THEM IN THE ARSE. It is either that or a total ban next year. Choice is simple, ball is in our court

So then will we have fireworks next year.?

 

Ad’s Posing as Journalism

·

We have this problem on both sides of the Political coin. While Slater should take a six month break from Blogging, Bomber should just sod off entirely with his “My way or the electorate is too stupid and needs to be educated” mantra.

Being tone deaf as Bomber, or inept which cost the Left despite the amount of cock ups from the Right, or ad’s posing as journalism does not help our democratic institution one little bit.

Suggestion to Central Politico Bloggers: Take a break until March next year and come back. Enjoy the Summer, recharge, refresh, new ideas.

That said plenty of fodder is up for grabs at Local Government level looking at the feeds this morning.

Note: Talking Auckland does not take paid content and all guest posts are marked as such. All pressers are also as marked as well.

Professor Mayhem's avatarSlightly Left of Centre

This morning I read a lengthy piece of advertising for left wing blogs.

You can see this advertisement here.

The “article” in question poses as journalism and purports to be an analysis of the impact of left wing blogs on the election.

While there is an element of analysis, the article reads more as a “if you don’t agree with Martyn Bradbury on The Daily Blog then you are confusing the message, and are the reason we lost.” (Like it’s nothing to do with being completely politically inept?)

The piece begins with a look at the ideal post election scenario as this clown (Alleged Lefty Troll and Journalism Hack, Philip Matthews) would have liked to see it:

In a parallel universe, David Cunliffe is the prime minister of New Zealand presiding over a Labour-NZ First minority government in a happy arrangement with the Green Party. Internet Mana, backed by…

View original post 384 more words