Activity: Building Consent Management

Building Consent activity generally comprises three functions; consenting, inspecting and certifying building work to ensure better, safer, drier buildings that meet legal requirements. These are administered in accordance with the Building Act and Building Codes. A significant portion of this activity includes advice and support to the public which is not recoverable from fees and charges.

The vision of the Building Consents Team is to ensure that the people of the Far North can use buildings safely without endangering their health.

Council will achieve this by:

• Retaining Building Consent Authority status and accreditation.
• Continuing to implement legislative and technological changes in a consultative manner with industry.
• Processing, issuing, inspecting, and certifying building consent applications under the national performance requirements.
• Dealing with weather tight claims under the Weather Tight Resolution Service Act.
• Issuing statutory notices, infringements, and enforcement under The Building Act requirements.
• Processing consents with the regional mapping guidance documents.
• Accessing applications for effluent disposal requirements under delegation from the Regional Council.
• Adhering to the Earthquake Prone Policy.
• Maintaining and updating the swimming pool register and ensuring fencing of swimming pools meets legislative requirements.

Key facts 

During 2012/13 Council processed: 

• 1215 project information memoranda and building consents.
• 6674 field inspections conducted.
• 821 building warrant of fitness renewals administered.

Council also:

• Sought determination guidance and determinations for binding technical decisions.
• Responded to and acted upon historical building issues.
• Processed improvement through legislative change and auditing outcomes.
• Responded to community needs during Civil Defence events through the Northland Regional Group.

Our major achievements in 2012/13 

Highlights of our progress during 2012/13 include:

• Natural Hazard including flood indicative areas guidance documentation, was completed for the Far North District Council website and communicated to practitioners to reference when applying for building consent in areas affected by one or more natural hazards. Additionally, training has been given to building staff and internal processes developed for recording decisions, reasons and outcomes. (FYI: the guidance documentation aligns with sections 71-75 of the Building Act 2004 and the release of the Regional Policy Statement from Northland Regional Council). 
• Council continues to offer the simple building consent express timeframe. This provides for building consent applications for simple structures to be processed within a reduced five day timeframe. 
• Clearance of older Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) decisions in line with audit requirements has been progressing well. Over a thousand decisions have been issued to date. 
• Proposed changes recommended for Far North District Council fee and service charges were adopted by Council in March 2013. The user pays mandate is being adhered to. 

Challenges we experienced 

• Amendment Bill 4 is aimed to introduce enhanced and more comprehensive consumer protection measures, including mandatory written contracts for work valued over a prescribed amount, mandatory disclosure of certain information by building contractors, and new offenses for breaches of these requirements. This has presented a challenge to Council as the implantation of the amendment bill has been incremental and the licensed building practitioner scheme is still within its infancy.
• The implementation of Restricted Building Work and the Licensed Building Practitioners’ Scheme underpins the Amendment Bill 4 and this has been a challenge for the building industry. Council has provided advice and ensured consents are issued with the Licensed building practitioners (LBP) certification. 
• Internally the Management Operational System has been implemented. This has resulted in a daily, weekly and monthly report being used to prepare a resource requirement tool.

Plans for the next 12 months 

• Work towards a recognised qualification for all building officials performing a technical role as per the 2006 regulations (reg 18).
• Investigate the use of electronic based consenting and field tablet operation and align with the national initiative (National Online Consenting). 
• Successful implementation of the amendments to the Building Act 2004 and continue to comply with building accreditation requirements.
• Continue to undertake process improvements to the building consent process.
• Increase public and practitioner knowledge of Building Act 2004 requirements through practitioner meetings, public information newsletters and website updates.
• Continue to audit the building warrant of fitness regime and meet Council’s obligations under the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.