PA/22/00428 - Building Control
Dear Tower Hamlets Borough Council,
Consent was granted for PA/22/00428. Please can you provide details of visits made by Building Control to this property to ensure compliance with building and fire regulations.
Please list dates of visits for both building compliance and fire regulations?
Please provide details of inspections with regard to current fire regulations, open spaces, fire doors and garage insulation, and escape options should there be a fire?
Please can you supply a copy of an officers report detailing compliance with building and fire regulations following the completion of construction.
Yours faithfully,
Ralph Hardwick
Information request
Our reference: 52570723
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Dear Ralph Hardwick
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 31 May
2024 requesting:
Consent was granted for PA/22/00428. Please can you provide details of
visits made by Building Control to this property to ensure compliance with
building and fire regulations.
Please list dates of visits for both building compliance and fire
regulations?
Please provide details of inspections with regard to current fire
regulations, open spaces, fire doors and garage insulation, and escape
options should there be a fire?
Please can you supply a copy of an officers report detailing compliance
with building and fire regulations following the completion of
construction.
We are dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and we aim to send a response by 28 June 2024.
In some case, a fee may be payable. If we decide a fee is payable, we will
send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before
proceeding with your request.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. We will carry out an assessment
and if any exemptions apply to some or all of the information then we
might not provide that information to you. We will inform you if this is
the case and advise you of your rights to request an internal review and
to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information
requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details
of how you may appeal (if appropriate).
Yours faithfully
Robi Rajib
Information Governance Officer
Information Governance
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
Information request
Our reference: 52570723
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Dear Ralph Hardwick
Your request for information has been considered under the requirements of
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I can confirm that the information requested is held by Tower Hamlets
Council and is attached to this email.
Conditions for the re-use of information where the copyright is owned by
the London Borough of Tower Hamlets can be found on our website.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original letter and should be addressed to:
Complaints and Information
Tower Hamlets Town Hall
160 Whitechapel Road
London
E1 1BJ
[email address]
If you are still dissatisfied with the Council's response after the
internal review you have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner
at:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 01625 545 700
Website: www.ico.gov.uk
Yours faithfully
John McGeary
Head of Building Control
Planning and Building Control
020 7364 5242
[email address]
Dear Tower Hamlets Borough Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Tower Hamlets Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'PA/22/00428 - Building Control'.
The response provided is deeply concerning.
First, that building control inspections have been outsourced and, second that the council have no record of what any building control person found and reported.
Of further concern is that the Building Inspector and the property owner have the same surname, which could suggest that works were signed off without the normal inspection protocol.
Further concern exists, as the construction activity did not get carried out according to the consented plans.
A subsequent, retrospective planning application has now been submitted, which suggests a failing of the approved inspector, for failing to report discrepancies.
I would hope that Tower Hamlets will now send their own building control officers to inspect the property; having firstly required the 'Approved Inspector' to provide detailed reports of the dates of visits and what was reported.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...
Yours faithfully,
Ralph Hardwick
Information request
Our reference: 52570723
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Dear Ralph Hardwick
Thank you for your request for a review received on 10 June 2024. I am
sorry that you are dissatisfied with our attempts to handle your request
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
I can confirm that we are considering your concerns and we will aim to
provide you with a response by 8 July 2024.
Yours faithfully
Jane Jones
Information Governance Officer
Legal Services
020 7364 2197
[email address]
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
Information request
Our reference: 52570723
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Dear Ralph Hardwick
Thank you for your request for a review received on 10 June 2024. I am
sorry that you are dissatisfied with our attempts to handle your request
under the under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I have considered the
points raised in your internal review request below.
Point1: First, that building control inspections have been outsourced and,
second that the council have no record of what any building control person
found and reported.
Response: This is a national system introduced many years ago to enable
the private sector to compete for Building Control work. It is not
"outsourced" by LBTH it is private sector competition and an applicant can
choose where to get their Building Control service from - they do not have
to use the council. If they go private to an "Approved Inspector" (now
known as Registered Building Control Approvers), then by law the council
is then "locked out" of that private contractual relationship. We receive
no details other than a notification that the job has gone to an Approved
Inspector/Registered Building Control Approver and a further notification
with a final certificate when the project is completed.
Point 2: Of further concern is that the Building Inspector and the
property owner have the same surname, which could suggest that works were
signed off without the normal inspection protocol.
Response: The people involved are not employed by the council if they work
for an approved inspector. If you have any concerns regarding the Approved
Inspector you have the option of making a complaint directly to them or
via the Construction Industry Council Approved Inspector Register, which
is now part of the HSE.
[1]https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Point 3: A subsequent, retrospective planning application has now been
submitted, which suggests a failing of the approved inspector, for failing
to report discrepancies.
I would hope that Tower Hamlets will now send their own building control
officers to inspect the property; having firstly required the 'Approved
Inspector' to provide detailed reports of the dates of visits and what was
reported.
Response: By law the council cannot get involved in an application where
it has received an Initial Notice by an Approved Inspector/Registered
Building Control Approver. Unless the building involved has been
identified as a potential Dangerous Structure under either the London
Building Act 1939 or Building Act 1984.
If you are still dissatisfied with the Council's response after the
internal review you have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner
at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone:01625 545 700
Further information about the operation of the act is available from the
council's website www.towerhamlets.gov.uk and the information leaflet in
public reception areas in Council Buildings.
Yours faithfully
N Khanum
Records manager
Information governance
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
References
Visible links
1. https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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