The Local Better Regulation Office has laid out its plans for trading standards, environmental health, licensing and fire safety services in a three-year strategy that will see substantial investments in improvements between 2008 and 2011.

It outlines action planned to:

support services in making improvement

enhance the regulatory system and

delivery greater consistency

Clive Grace, the LBRO chair, said: 'Local regulation is vital to UK plc. The regulatory services that local authorities provide do more than simply protect consumers, workers and the environment – they also provide much needed and valued support for businesses in complying with regulations.

'There is massive potential within regulatory services to support sustainable communities and aid businesses in creating economic prosperity.

'We are committed to unlocking that potential and, with our partners, making a better system of local regulation.'

Support for local government in improving regulation is top of LBRO’s agenda. As well as making direct investments in individual authorities and regional co-ordination, LBRO will be publishing and promoting best practice in regulatory services, including on tackling issues that concern communities such as illegal alcohol sales to children.

It will also launch projects to give regulators greater insight into business and how to cut unnecessary burdens on retailers.

The Birmingham-based body, which has a remit across the UK, will also seek to reform the system of local regulation through advice to government on making legislation simpler to understand, comply with and enforce.

Other measures include developing a common excellence standard for local regulation with the national regulators and central government, and creating common approaches to data sharing, impact assessment, priority setting and risk management across the sector – cutting the burden on local regulators and freeing them to focus on core duties.

A third strand of work that is focused on improving consistency for businesses that trade across council boundaries is already underway.

The Primary Authority scheme, which will create the first legal framework for ensuring that compliance advice given by one local authority is not undermined in other areas, is currently being piloted and will become a statutory entitlement in April 2009.

Graham Russell, the LBRO chief executive, added: 'We have consulted a huge range of stakeholders on the strategy and the insight they have provided from inside local government, business, consumer groups, the national regulators and the professional bodies has helped shape our agenda for better regulation.

'We now have a broad consensus not just on the need for better local regulation, but also the first steps to achieving it.'

Derek Allen, executive director of LACORS, said: 'We are pleased that central government recognises the essential role that council regulatory services play in safeguarding the wellbeing of their local communities and in helping local economies to grow.

'LACORS is committed to helping councils across the UK deliver excellent regulatory services and we have ensured that this process is sector-led. With the strategy it has set out today, the LBRO will be able to make a valuable contribution towards achieving this goal.

'LBRO also has an important role to play in making sure that regulations put in place by central government are not only fully resourced but also balance effective public protection with support for good business practice. This will mean council regulatory services having the tools at their disposal to do their job well.'