How we regulate
What is the ARB?
The Architects Registration Board was established by an Act of Parliament – the Architects Act – in 1997. ARB is both the independent statutory regulator of all UK architects and the UK’s competent authority for architects. Our sponsoring government department is the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). We have worked with DCLG to draw up a Framework Agreement which sets out how we will both operate. You can read more about this in the governance section of the Annual Report.
Policy Context
Our work sits within the context of the UK’s regulatory landscape which is underpinned by the five principles of good regulation: proportionality, accountability, consistency, transparency and targeting. In addition to this, arms-length bodies perform a public function and so can be reviewed and reformed by government in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 2011.
The Periodic Review
In March 2014 the government commenced a Periodic Review into the regulation of architects. This forms part of the government’s Public Bodies Reform Programme which includes a commitment to conduct a substantive review of all public bodies. The Periodic Review into the regulation of architects is being conducted by ARB’s sponsoring government department, DCLG.
In this section we cover our statutory purpose and how we regulate. We also highlight the key areas which our work has focused on during 2014.
