Council authority gets IANZ accreditation

CHB District Council chief executive Monique Davidson says accreditation works in with the district's new "smart growth" plan. Photo / Supplied

Full accreditation has been achieved by Central Hawke's Bay District Council's Building Control Authority (BCA) .

Council has gained International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) accreditation following its latest two-yearly reassessment and implementation of recommendations made by IANZ.

IANZ accreditation of building control processes within councils in New Zealand was introduced in 2006 as a means of ensuring that a council's building practices met criteria and standards across a number of regulated requirements.

Recently appointed chief executive Monique Davidson says this achievement makes council well-positioned to respond to the steady increase in consents that it is experiencing.

"As we look to the future, it is vital that we have a regulatory function that can support the community in achieving the desired smart growth this district is seeking. This has been the result of a significant team effort, to implement changes to our systems, processes and customer service," Mrs Davidson said.

To meet the national shortfall of building control officers, the council had looked to the future and employed a building consent officer cadet.

The appointment of a cadet, who is a local resident, will "add value to the BCA team".

Council had also partnered with Comply New Zealand, a building processing company, to assist with the steady growth in building activity in the district.

The recent introduction of the "Go Build" smartphone and tablet app was a valuable addition to the building consent process.

The Go Build free app enables people to book inspections online and receive confirmation of the booking through their device.

BCA Administration Officer Rachael Stanbra said: "This is a positive step moving forward, making it easier for builders to book inspections, and do business with council."