Agenda item

To receive an overview of Trading Standards. The Director: Neighbourhood & Enforcement Service will attend for this item.

The Public Protection Group Manager presented the report.

Trading Standards had a wide remit, covering over 200 pieces of consumer protection legislation. Everything bought was covered in some way by trading standards.

Activities of the team were intelligence led; an example of this were the 2500 contacts from Citizens Advice. The team then investigated the issues reported to Citizens Advice. Other local partners and regulators such as the police also shared information. Where trends emerged in terms of themes, businesses, and individuals, they were investigated.

In the preceding 12 months, the team had seized 30,000 cigarettes, 1500 illegal vapes, and 500 items of counterfeit clothing as well as carrying out test purchasing of restricted goods with a 50% pass rate for businesses, In total, £70,000 worth of illegal goods had been seized.

Significant work was being undertaken in terms of rogue traders. There had been 50 complaints about doorstep cold calling in the past year. In response to the issue, the Council operates and promotes a trading standards trader accreditation scheme to provide advice on reputable traders. In addition, the team had provided support to 30 vulnerable scam victims. This was aided by community engagement work on avoiding scams.

The team’s priorities for the next 12 months were set out for the committee:

-       Illegal and counterfeit tobacco and vaping products

-       Consumer and construction product safety

-       Door step crime, rogue traders and scams

-       False and misleading trading practices

-       Animal health & welfare, disease control and animal feeds

-       ‘Back to basics’ projects – goods sold by weights and measures.

Following the presentation, Members posed a number of questions:

Did the Council work with HMRC in recovering counterfeit goods?

The Council did work with HMRC, tobacco was a key issue and there is specific funding that the Council receive from HMRC for this.

There was particular concern around underage vaping, what was being done to combat this specifically?

Underage sales were an issue, the team were looking to visit all premises selling vapes, providing advice, and making sure they sold safe vapes. Some vape sellers did not sell other restricted products and so did not have an established Challenge policy in place.

How often were purchase tests carried out?

Test purchase operations were complex to set up, as the team had to take into account the child volunteer’s health and safety and ensure a chaperone was in place. More operations to test the sale of vaping products were planned.

Who was responsible for dealing with aggressive doorstep traders?

A number of agencies could assist, however, if people rang the Council or Citizens Advice they would try to get somebody to the individual as quickly as possible if it was urgent. Alternatively, the resident can call the police if they feel concerned about their safety.

How were non-internet users to get in touch?

Citizens Advice provided a consumer advice line that could be accessed by internet or telephone. Anything reported to them would be shared with Trading Standards and the intelligence logged. People could also contact the Council’s contact centre.

Members requested an update the following year.

Upon being put to a vote, it was:

RESOLVED – that the Committee

a)    Endorse the approach adopted by the Trading Standards in the previous twelve months; and

b)   Agree and approve identified priorities and areas of focus for the year ahead and suggest any areas of focus for further consideration.