Periodic Health & Safety and Risk assessment

Other

I have a flat in a block of 8 converted flats. The freeholder runs the management company. Their annual service charge is getting more expensive each year.
They recommended a health and safety and risk assessment in 2007 at a great cost to leaseholders. Their recommendations were carried out then .they repeated the same in 2008 but it is not clear what was achieved. They have now charged another £1200 on the 2009 service charge statement under health and safety and risk. As the leaseholders were not consulted on this expense item ,I asked them the need for a yearly health and safety assessment .the freeholder said that it was his discretion to carry this out yearly as it was necessary he did not need to consult any one.
I can see the need for the assessment as a one off or at a longer interval of say 4 or 5 years but not on a yearly basis as this is a small holding and nothing changes much from year to year to change the risk or health and safety profile.
Please advise if the freeholder can insist on this to be carried out annually or whether this is a legal requirement.