4 The Eves Report, Consultations,
and Impact Assessment
7. The Eves review of animal health functions was
published in June 2006.[2]
Among its many recommendations was a recommendation that legal
obstacles to cross-border working between local authorities should
be removed. Subsequent consultation agreed.[3]
8. Consultation on the specific proposal in the draft
LRO took place from 25 July to 17 October 2008.[4]
The number of responses was small (ten) but importantly included
LACORS and a number of individual local authorities. One response[5]
which in general favoured the proposal observed that clarity was
needed over which authority would be responsible in the event
of negligence or maladministration. However, responsibility vis-a-vis
third parties would remain with the commissioning authority since
there will be no change in the statutory duty of each local authority
to make satisfactory animal health provision. In light of that,
we are satisfied that no necessary protection will be removed.
All other respondents were unanimously in favour of reform.
We therefore believe that the proposals have been the subject
of adequate consultation and have taken proper account of that
consultation.
9. Feedback from consultation provided support for
the proposal in general terms rather than definite interest from
particular authorities. Therefore the estimates of savings in
the impact assessment[6]
are approximate, but range up to around £277,000 based on
an assumption of a five percent saving on current costs of inspections
and other functions. That is probably at the upper end of likely
savings, but we agree that it is nevertheless an unnecessary administrative
burden for local authorities with little or no regular need to
exercise animal health functions to have to maintain resources
for dealing with matters that seldom arise merely as the result
of a legislative oversight.
2 http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/ahws/deliver/review.htm Back
3
See ED page 5. Back
4
See http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/localauth-lga-ah/index.htm Back
5
Nick Clayton, a veterinary practitioner Back
6
See ED pages 20 to 22 Back
| 
