quality in tourism - Primary Authority Partnership

Primary Authority Partnership

What is Primary Authority?

Primary Authority allows businesses to receive assured and tailored advice on meeting environmental health, trading standards or fire safety regulations through a single point of contact. This ensures start-ups get it right at the outset and enables all businesses to invest with confidence in their products, practices and procedures, knowing that the resources they devote to compliance are well spent.

Primary Authority is based on legal partnerships between businesses and individual local authorities. Businesses can set up their own partnership or belong to a trade association (such as Quality in Tourism) with an existing partnership.

What do Primary Authorities do?

Primary authorities provide advice to businesses that other local regulators must respect on compliance with the regulations. They can also produce an inspection plan for a business or the members of a trade association (or other type of group), to improve the effectiveness of visits by local regulators and underpin better sharing of information.

What are the benefits of Primary Authority?

Businesses:

have access to relevant, authoritative tailored advice
gain recognition of robust compliance arrangements
can draw on the best practice of others as an effective means of meeting regulations
can be more confident they are protecting themselves and their customers

Regulators:

have greater clarity over where responsibility lies
can support local economic growth through stronger business relationships
can improve the consistency of local regulation and target resources on high-risk areas
can develop their staff expertise via partnerships
can protect front line services through cost recovery

General public:

are better protected as businesses find it easier to comply with legislation
are at reduced risk as local authorities better understand the businesses they regulate and can target resources on high-risk areas

What is the Primary Authority Register?

The Primary Authority Register is the secure online service that supports the operation of the scheme. It contains details on every partnership, provides a forum for communications, and allows primary authorities to make important documents and business information readily available to local regulators.

What type of partnership does Quality in Tourism have?

Quality in Tourism has entered into a co-ordinated partnership with Cornwall Council. This means that they will share advice, guidance and best practice with their members, following consultation with Cornwall Council.

How will this Primary Authority Partnership benefit tourism & hospitality businesses?

For members of Quality in Tourism, the partnership will ensure that members are kept fully up to date with regulatory changes and amendments that may affect their business. Quality in Tourism will work with Cornwall Council to share advice and guidance on how to adapt to any change in regulations, ensuring that members have access to best practice examples to ensure their efficiency.

Quality in Tourism will also look to work with other local authorities across England, using the approved Safe, Clean and Legal inspection plan to help support the growing issues surrounding the shared economy. The inspection plan will give local authorities the reassurance that their properties have been checked and verified and will also ensure that guests staying in these properties are also protected; staying in a legitimate establishment that has complied with all of the necessary regulations.

For more information regarding the Primary Authority Partnership and how it may affect you and your business, please contact us via the contact form below.