Primary Authority partnership wins coveted Regulatory Excellence award

The Primary Authority partnership between Wakefield Council Environmental Health and Cedar Court Hotels has won the Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Regulatory Excellence Award 2021.

This is as a result of the work carried out to provide safe accommodation for haulier drivers who test positive for Covid-19 when arriving in the UK.

The OPSS Regulatory Excellence Awards are open to anyone involved in the delivery of regulation and compliance such as local authorities, fire services, businesses and trade associations and this year recognise outstanding regulatory practice in challenging times. Wakefield Council Environmental Health also won this coveted award in the Primary Authority Category in 2019.

Cllr Jack Hemingway, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are delighted to receive this award in recognition of our Primary Authority partnership work.

“This year more than ever regulatory practice has been crucial in supporting businesses and protecting consumers, and we are proud of the positive role our team has played in this. The awards also demonstrate to the public the vital role that effective regulation can play in supporting and rebuilding the economy.

“I pay tribute to all involved, the team have worked extremely hard and fully deserve the recognition achieved.”

Wayne Topley, Managing Director at Cedar Court Hotels, said: “The relationship between our Hotel Company and our ‘Primary Authority’ has been more important than ever over the last 12 months, we have repurposed our business to support the Covid-19 challenge on a number of occasions and Wakefield Council’s Environmental Health Team have been unwavering in their support and guidance. 

“The challenge of turning a commercial hotel into a Covid-19 care facility would have been simply impossible if it had not been for the Cedar Court Hotels team’s commitment and focus to supporting the new need and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Allison Papaiacovou who leads our H&S commitments and Andrew Jones, Hotel Manager who led the team throughout this process.”

 Cedar Court Hotel and Wakefield Council have worked together in a Primary Authority (PA) partnership since 2011. The PA scheme allows businesses to form a legally recognised partnership with a single local authority in relation to regulatory compliance. This local authority is then known as its ‘Primary Authority’. The team at Wakefield Council provides advice and guidance on Food Safety, Health & Safety, Covid and other compliance matters to allow the business to operate with confidence. For more information, visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/hereforbusiness