Primary authority

If your business operates in more than one council area, you could benefit from partnering with one council for all your advice and regulation regardless of where your outlets are based. This is known as a primary authority partnership.

What is a primary authority partnership?

A primary authority partnership is a legally recognised partnership for advice and regulation between a business, including charities and franchises, and a single council. The primary authority (council) may inspect outlets throughout England and Wales.

Primary authorities play a valuable role in leading and shaping the regulation of businesses that partner with them. In doing so, they deliver benefits for:

  • The regulatory system as a whole
  • The businesses they partner with
  • Those that the regulations are designed to protect – consumers, workers and the environment.

A business may have a direct partnership with its primary authority, or may be one of a group of businesses that has their partnerships co-ordinated by a third party, such as a trade association or franchisor.

You can choose what level of support you need from your primary authority.

Advice on primary authority from the Regulatory Delivery Office

List of primary authority partnerships

Who can have primary authority?

If your business, charity or organisation is regulated by two or more local authorities for any of these areas of your work, then you can choose to have all your business regulated by Newham for a competitive fee.

  • Food safety and hygiene
  • Food standards
  • Health and safety
  • Trading standards
  • Environmental health
  • Licensing (not including alcohol, gambling or fire safety).

Benefits of primary authority

If you choose to set up a primary authority partnership with us you will:

  • Reduce the administrative burdens of regulation
  • Reduce the costs of trying to comply with different councils’ interpretations of the law, and so make sure that there is consistency across your business 
  • Know that the regulatory advice you receive is legally binding on other local authorities
  • Have a national inspection plan which other local authorities must follow if they enter any of your premises.

A national inspection plan improves the effectiveness of inspections, because the inspections will target priority areas, focus on proactive visits and avoid repeated checks.

Current Newham Primary authority partnerships

We currently have partnerships with:

  • 7BONE BURGER CO
  • Abokado
  • Accor Hotel Services UK Limited
  • Accor UK
  • Amazon UK Services Ltd
  • Bagel Factory
  • Cancer Research UK
  • Kwik-Fit (GB) Ltd
  • London Legacy Development Corporation
  • RBH Management Ltd
  • Shiva Hotels Group LLP
  • VG Technical Ltd

Enquire about forming a primary authority partnership

If you are interested in forming a Primary Authority partnership with Newham Council for your business, or just want to find out more:

Email PrimaryAuthority.Partnerships@newham.gov.uk

Call 020 8430 2000; or

Write to:

Health and Safety Enforcement
London Borough of Newham
East Ham Town Hall
328 Barking Road
London E6 2RP