2. Discretionary Fees – Building Standards - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 28 May 2024
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 28 May 2024 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 28 May 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Discretionary Fees – Building Standards ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks to update the discretionary fees which are associated with Building Standards. 1.2 The report recommends that existing discretionary fees as associated with Building Standards are revised to take account of current costs and staff time. 1.3 The report also recommends that an annual increase is applied on 1st April each year in line with any percentage increase which is applied to charges for services as agreed as part of the Council budget setting. ________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Approve the proposed discretionary charging fees associated with Building Standards as detailed in Appendix 1 of this report. (ii) Approve the annual increase, to discretionary charging fees associated with Building Standards as detailed in Appendix 1. The annual increase is to be applied on 1st April each year in line with any percentage increase which is applied to charges for services as agreed as part of the Council’s annual budget setting. ___________________________________________________________________
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3. Discretionary Charging 3.1. The Building Standards team undertakes tasks which are both statutory and non-statutory. Statutory tasks are set out in relevant legislation and charges are applied in line with nationally set fees. 3.2. Non statutory tasks relate to a number of different issues and can include the provision of approved plans, documentation, property history and letters of comfort. Fees relating to non-statutory tasks are not set nationally and instead each authority has the ability to set their own local fee. 3.3. Fees relating to non-statutory tasks within Building Standards were last reviewed in 2007 and in this regard Appendix 1 sets out the proposed amendments which would take effect on 1st July 2024. 3.4. In addition to the above and to ensure that fees continue to reflect the demands placed upon the Building Standards Team, it is also proposed that an annual increase is applied to all matters listed in Appendix 1 in line with any percentage increase which is applied to charges for services as agreed as part of the Council’s annual budget setting. The new charges would then take effect on 1st April annually. 4. Next Steps 4.1. The discretionary charging scheme as outlined in Appendix 1 will be published online and applicants and developers made aware of the charging scheme which will come into effect on 1st July 2024. 4.2. The discretionary fees listed in Appendix 1 will be increased on an annual basis on 1st April in line with any percentage increase which is applied to charges for services as agreed as part of the Council’s annual budget setting. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – The introduction of discretionary charging will result in an increase in the fees received by the Building Standards Team. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None.
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7. Equality & Human Rights – (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – None. 13. Climate Risk – None. Appendix 1: Discretionary Charging – Building Standards Author: David Love, Chief Planning Officer Tel: 07483410182; Email: david.love@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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APPENDIX 1: DISCRETIONARY CHARGING – BUILDING STANDARDS Type Current Fee Proposed Fee Building Standards Enquiries: Copy plans/Building Warrant (BW) and Completion Certificate (CC) documentation £50 per search Plus external printer costs for microfiche copies £62.50 per property (includes a copy of BW and CC) Copy plans/BW and CC documentation Building Standards Enquiries: Letter of comfort Where unauthorised work has been carried out prior to the 1st May 2005 without a building warrant and a site visit is required. £200 £250 Building Standards Enquiries: Confirmation of Exemption Confirmation that proposed works are either exempt from building warrant approval under Regulation 3, schedule 2 or do not require building warrant approval under Regulation 5 Schedule 3. £50 £62.50 per property Building Standards Enquiries: Building warrant property history £50 £62.50 per property * Building Standards Enquiries: Enforcement case property history and outstanding debt £50 £62.50 per property * Admin costs associated with Dangerous Buildings Sliding scale up to 12% of demolition costs Flat fee of 10% of demolition costs Erection of Raised Structure £300 £375 Sports Ground – Safety Certificate New Application Amend/Revision to existing Certificate (requiring an inspection) Amend/Revision to existing Certificate (not £1,400 £808 £269 £1,750 £1,010 £336.25
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requiring an inspection) Special Safety Certificate No fee £1,010 Section 50 Building Standards Certificate No fee £100 Copies of plans and supplementary information ‐ copying/handling charge as below: Digital/paper/microfiche copies – document retrieval and handling fee: Plan/document: £2 per plan/document up to a maximum of 50 plan/documents, thereafter P.O.A