Statement of commitment between HSE and Local Authority representative bodies

This joint statement of commitment, agreed by HSE and local authority representative bodies in June 2009, sets out our commitment to improved standards of partnership working with one overriding aim – to prevent the death, injury and ill health of those at work and those affected by work activities.

We are committed to working together on the following four clear objectives for the health and safety of Great Britain:

• to reduce the number of work-related fatalities, injuries and cases of ill health;
• to gain widespread commitment and recognition of what real health and safety is about;
• to motivate all those in the health and safety system as to how they can contribute to an improved health and safety performance; and
• to ensure that those who fail in their health and safety duties are held to account.

We are committed to delivering these objectives by working in a close, effectively-governed, partnership that achieves the following aims:

• recognition of the need to balance local/regional priorities against national priorities – achieving the best outcomes for safer, stronger and healthier communities;
• effective targeting and use of resources and funding towards agreed priorities;
• joint planning, work programmes and training ensuring effective interventions and service delivery methods;
• timely communications and better sharing of information between partners;
• working with other regulators and stakeholders to drive forward health and safety improvements, including the health, work and wellbeing programme;
• co-ordinated enforcement activity, consistency and effectiveness, sharing intelligence, data and information, delivery of justice, cross-administrative boundary working;
• production of advice and guidance, publicity, campaigns and communications, best practice;
• implementation of the ‘Section 18 standard on enforcement’ by March 2011;
• ensuring our views are represented within liaison, policy and partnership groups at local, regional and national levels; and
• ensuring that information is provided to politicians, senior managers and practitioners on the decisions of such groups and on their work as regulators.