Post on 25-Apr-2018
Trading Standards Service Plan 2017 - 2018
Contents
Page
Section 1 Introduction 1
Section 2 Core Functions 2
Section 3 Service Priorities 3
Section 4 Council Priorities 4
Section 5 National Priorities 5
Section 6 Regional & National Working 6
Section 7 Service Structure & Profile 7
Section 8 Service Context 8
Section 9 New Challenges 9
Section 10 Key Priority Areas 10
Section 11 Contact Us 11
Appendix 1 Key Actions & Activities 12
1.0 Introduction
The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees covers an area of 20,393 hectares and is an area of contrasts - a mixture of busy town centres, urban residential areas and picturesque villages, whilst maintaining a strong industrial presence. The population of around 194,000, living in approximately 84,500 households, has been increasing steadily since the 2001 census and is expected to increase by a further 11% by 2037.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has a vital role to play in providing quality services to the people of the Borough. The Council is performing strongly and is committed to improving services for local people through strong leadership, effective partnerships and investment in priorities.
Dealing with the continued budget reductions required by Central Government alongside the growing demands for its services, provides a massive challenge for the Authority. It is expected that by 2018/19 government funding to the Council will have reduced by £67 million since 2010.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has always been recognised as a customer-focused council that delivers value for money and makes effective use of its resources, through strong political and executive leadership, good governance and talented, committed employees. It is these attributes, alongside a planned approach to managing the
budget reduction that has helped the Authority in protecting frontline services.
Within this setting the Trading Standards Service provides an important regulatory function, carrying out a range of duties aimed at protecting consumers and reputable businesses. This protection is provided in relation to virtually the full range of personal and household goods and services, from the purchase of daily necessities to the arrangement of a mortgage.
Through advice, education, enforcement and partnership working, the primary aim of the Trading Standards Service is to provide a fair and safe trading environment for the benefit of consumers and reputable businesses in Stockton-on-Tees.
The service planning process for Trading Standards is vital in ensuring that resources are allocated to priority areas, which meet the needs and wishes of local consumers and businesses. Taking steps to review, develop and modernise service provision underpin this process and help to identify possible service efficiencies.
Any feedback on this Plan, good or bad, is welcomed and can be made in writing to Trading Standards, 16 Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TX, by telephone on 01642 526560, or via e-mail at trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk.
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2.0 Core Functions
The work of the Service aims to promote open and competitive markets whilst empowering consumers making it easier for them to resolve problems. Only in a safe and fair trading environment, which protects both consumers and reputable business activity, can the local economy succeed and flourish. The Service’s key areas of responsibility can be shown as follows:
Responsibility Description
Business Advice Providing advice and assistance to businesses on all aspects of Trading Standards legislation to raise their awareness and help them comply with their legal responsibilities.
Consumer Advice Advice and assistance for consumers with problems and disputes arising from the supply of consumer goods and services.
Fair Trading Protecting against scams, tackling counterfeiting, doorstep crime, disrupting the informal economy and dealing with misleading statements about the price, quality or description of goods and services.
Product Safety Monitoring consumer goods to ensure that they are as safe as possible and do not present a risk to health.
Age Restricted Sales Ensuring age restricted products, e.g. alcohol, tobacco, videos, e-cigarettes, butane lighter fuel and fireworks, are not supplied to children.
Food Standards Ensuring that food is correctly described and labelled throughout the supply chain, and that compositional and nutritional standards are met.
Weights and Measures Work relating to the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade and the accuracy of quantity declarations made on products.
Consumer Credit Monitoring the consumer credit licensing regime and ensuring transparency in credit transactions, documentation and advertisements.
Fertilisers and Animal Feed Registration and inspection of designated animal feed establishments and ensuring that both fertilisers and animal feeds are correctly labelled, safe to use and do not present an on-going risk to the human food chain.
Road Traffic Work regarding unroadworthy vehicles, overloaded goods vehicles and weight restricted areas.
Alcohol Control Duties as a Responsible Authority under the Licensing Act 2003, especially in protecting children from the harm caused by alcohol.
Tees Valley Measurement Tees Valley Measurement, is jointly funded by Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Trading Standards Services and is subject to a formal partnership agreement. The Centre provides a specialist metrology facility for partner authorities and makes available a specialist calibration service for local industry.
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3.0 Service Priorities
Through advice, education, enforcement and partnership working, the primary aim of the Trading Standards Service is to provide a fair and safe trading environment for the benefit of consumers and reputable businesses in Stockton-on-Tees.
In striving to meet this aim, the Trading Standards Service undertakes a number of activities including:-
• Pro-active, intelligence led market surveillance work to ensurelegal requirements are met and consumers can shop withconfidence. This includes sampling and testing of goods andcarrying out business inspections to identify problems beforethey cause harm.
• Advice and support services for businesses to ensure that theycan get things right at an early stage and meet their legalobligations. This includes the testing and certification ofweighing and measuring equipment and providing tailoredbusiness advice.
• Providing specialist advice and information to consumers toenable them to make sound, safe and well informed choices.
• Responding to complaints from local consumers andbusinesses and investigating breaches of consumer protectionlegislation to help prevent harmful and hazardous business
practices, prevent detriment to consumers and reputable business and to ensure public safety.
• Working in partnership with a number of different organisationsand bodies such as other Council services, the Police,Scambusters and the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, tounderpin all of the above activities and to develop and improveservice delivery.
To help achieve its aim, the Service has identified five key service priorities:-
1. Ensuring a safe, fair and competitive trading environment.
2. Supporting reputable businesses.
3. Contributing to public health and wellbeing.
4. Protecting the vulnerable.
5. Providing an effective service.
Each priority has a number of actions and activities identified for the period of this Plan. These are set out in more detail in Section 10 and at Appendix 1.
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4.0 Council Priorities
BIG PLANS, BRIGHT FUTURE
Trading Standards sits under the Community Safety corporate theme; however the Service also makes important contributions in other corporate theme areas:-
BIG PLANS FOR OUR PLACES AND OPEN SPACES
BIG PLANS FOR AN OUTSTANDING BOROUGH
BIG PLANS FOR THE CARE WE PROVIDE
BIG PLANS FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE
Testing the accuracy of ‘green’ claims; Controls on construction products, hazardous substances and packaging requirements; Fertilisers and pesticides enforcement and sampling; Monitoring the provision of Energy Performance Certificates and Display Energy Certificates; Regulating estate agents, letting agents and property misdescriptions; High quality calibration service for local industry.
Advice, assistance and practical help to local businesses; Risk based, comprehensive inspection of businesses; Active targeting of rogue traders and trading malpractice; Tackling product counterfeiting.
Consumer advice and information; Home Safety initiatives; No Cold Calling Zones; Rogue trader days; Dealing with doorstep crime; Scams awareness.
Ensuring the safety of all consumer goods; Promotion of a fair, safe and equitable market place; Help in tackling anti-social behaviour caused by the under-age sale of alcohol and fireworks; Tackling illegal money lending; Dealing with doorstep crime; Road traffic overloading and unroadworthy vehicles; Creation of No Cold Calling Zones; Stockton Doorstoppers Initiative; Detecting serious and organised crime.
BIG PLANS FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR PEOPLE
BIG PLANS FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF OUR BOROUGH
BIG PLANS FOR HELPING OUR COMMUNITIES PROSPER
BIG PLANS FOR GREAT EXPERIENCES
Smoke Free Stockton Alliance; Food standards, labelling, composition and sampling; Healthy Catering Partnership; Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy; Controls on the advertising and labelling of tobacco products; Animal feed enforcement and sampling.
Under age sales enforcement; Promoting healthy eating and nutritional standards; Protecting children from the harm caused by alcohol.
Consumer advice and information; Business advice and support.
Acting as a Responsible Authority under the Licensing Act, involved in the licensing of regulated entertainment, late night refreshment and alcohol sales.
AMBITIOUS, EFFECTIVE AND PROUD TO SERVE
Regular programme of consultation with consumers and businesses; On-going satisfaction surveys demonstrating a very high level of customer satisfaction; Corporate and professional competency frameworks maintained; Customer Service Excellence; Commitment to train staff and update skills and knowledge.
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5.0 National Priorities
National Trading Standards Board (NTSB)
The NTSB is a group of senior and experienced local government heads of Trading Standards, representing all regions across England and Wales. The Board has been set up by the Government as part of changes to the consumer protection landscape and an enhanced role for Trading Standards. The NTSB provides leadership, influence, support and resources to help combat consumer and business detriment nationally, regionally and locally. A vast amount of work has been carried out pulling together a national strategic assessment for Trading Standards based on intelligence which has identified those areas causing the most detriment to consumers and businesses.
The NTSB has developed a control strategy having regard to the strategic assessment, which outlines the national priorities for intelligence, prevention and enforcement activities.
For 2017/18, NTSB has identified the following priority areas:-
• Doorstep crime.• Mass marketing scams.
• Fair trading issues.• Product safety.• Illegal money lending.• Intellectual property.
The NTSB recognise that the internet and social media are ever increasing as a medium for the trade in unsafe and illicit goods and as a means of perpetuating consumer fraud. Therefore tackling e-crime is a key underpinning strategy across all priority areas.
These priority areas provide a focus for regional and local regulatory activity and collaborative working with partner organisations, delivering national outcomes through local action. Local authorities are empowered to use local discretion and autonomy to select the most appropriate ways to meet the regulatory priorities in their locality.
The Service has considered these national priority areas when setting its own key priorities for 2017/18.
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6.0 Regional & National Working
North East Trading Standards Association (NETSA)
NETSA is a regional partnership of the twelve north east local authority Trading Standards Services, working to enhance local service provision and to contribute to meeting local, regional and national priorities. NETSA has sub-groups focussed on specialist areas such as fair trading, product safety and metrology, which report directly to the Executive.
The NETSA Executive provides strategic direction and is made up of the managers from the region’s Trading Standards Services and Regional Investigation Team. The Executive’s work is supported by a Regional Coordinator funded via the NTSB.
Regional Investigation Team (Scambusters)
The Regional Investigation Team: North East (Scambusters) is a small team of enforcement officers responsible for tackling level 2 (regional) and level 3 (national) criminality. Whilst the team is funded via the NTSB, governance is provided through the NETSA Executive. Work can be allocated to the team via the NTSB’s National Tasking Group or NETSA’s Regional Tasking Group (a sub group of the Executive).
Regional Intelligence Analyst
A Regional Intelligence Analyst, funded by the NTSB, works with Local Intelligence Liaison Officers from each Authority to improve intelligence collection and analysis and to develop intelligence sharing with other enforcement agencies including the three regional Police forces, HMRC, NCA and others.
National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) Teams
The NTSB oversees a number of directly funded national teams that undertake enforcement action and co-ordinate national enforcement projects in specific areas:-
• The Estate Agency Team, based at Powys Trading Standards,is the UK’s regulator under the Estate Agents Act 1979.
• The e-Crime Team, based at North Yorkshire TradingStandards, aims to protect consumers and businesses inEngland and Wales from internet crime and online fraud.
• The Illegal Money Lending Teams based in Birmingham andCardiff, take enforcement action against loan sharks andprovide help and support to victims of illegal money lenders.They also carry out awareness raising initiatives in support oftheir work.
• The Safety at Ports Team, based at Suffolk Trading Standards,works to prevent unsafe and non-compliant consumer goodsfrom entering the country by intercepting them at the point ofentry.
• The National Scams Team, based at East Sussex TradingStandards, has introduced a referral system between agencies,gathering intelligence on mass marketing scams and scamvictims and raising public awareness of the damage caused bysuch scams.
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7.0 Service Structure & Profile
An organisational structure chart for the Trading Standards Service is outlined below:
For 2017/18, the budget for the Trading Standards Service, including the contribution to the Tees Valley Measurement Centre, is £346,675. This represents a 15% reduction in funding compared to levels in 2016/17. A summary is provided below:-
Trading Standards Service Budget 2016/17 (£)
2017/18 (£)
Trading Standards 410,641 367,675
Tees Valley Measurement 77,000 58,000
Gross Budget 487,641 425,675
Income 79,000 79,000
Net Budget 408,641 346,675
One particular issue that will impact upon the work of the Service is the closure of the Analytical and Testing Laboratory at the Tees Valley Measurement Centre. In the past the vast majority of food and non-food samples taken would be analysed internally at this Testing Laboratory. However, given its closure, along with other budgetary restraints and the loss of four qualified Trading Standards Officers over the last couple of years, it is inevitable that the Service will take fewer samples for testing, given that it has to rely wholly on analysis by external Public Analysts and other test houses which will be charged at commercial rates.
Trading Standards Manager
Trading Standards
Officer (x4 FTE)
Trading Standards
Enforcement Officer
(x2 FTE)
Trading Standards
Adviser
Operational Support
Assistant (x 0.5 FTE)
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8.0 Service Context
Looking at the level of work undertaken, how it is carried out and assessing customer satisfaction levels can be used to indicate if service provision is being targeted appropriately. Some headline figures include:-
Service Demands
Nature of Contact 2015 2016
Advice Centre Complaints & Enquiries 1128 940
Citizens Advice Consumer Service1 1803 1798
Criminal Complaints, Enquiries & Investigations 648 541
Most Complained About Subject Areas
Top Three Complained About Goods & Services (2016) % of Total
Home maintenance, repairs and improvements Second-hand motor vehicles Food and drink
19% 10% 6%
Top Three Criminal Complaints (2016) % of Total
Misleading actions and professional diligence Counterfeit and illicit goods Product safety concerns
43% 14% 12%
1 The Citizens Advice Consumer Service gives first tier telephone advice on consumer issues. The more complex problems and those requiring follow up casework are referred onto our specialist Trading Standards Adviser.
Top Three Requests for Advice from Business (2016) % of Total
Civil Law including problems relating to the supply of faulty consumer goods and services Product Safety Food Standards including labelling and composition
68%
10% 9%
Customer Satisfaction Levels
Satisfaction levels remain exceptionally high for those using the Trading Standards Advice Centre.
2014/15 %
2015/16 %
2016/17 %
Satisfaction Index 98.6 98.6 98.8
Redress Levels
This is the amount of money that the Service has obtained in redress for local consumers and businesses.
2014 £
2015 £
2016 £
Redress Obtained 156,717 137,814 250,086
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9.0 New Challenges
Trading Standards has to face the challenge of delivering an effective service despite growing demands and reducing resources. Add to this, new statutory duties, on-going service reviews and emerging trends, all of which will affect the way in which the Service operates. Some of the main challenges are summarised below:-
Tobacco Control
There have been several new controls in relation to tobacco usage, supply and advertising, including the introduction of standardised packaging, also known as plain packaging. Whilst these new controls have been in force since May 2016, there has been a transitional period in place allowing for the sale of old non-conforming stock. However from 21 May 2017, this transitional period ends and all tobacco products sold on the UK market must comply with the new requirements, including the need for standardised packaging.
Trading Standards Advice Centre
Over a number of years the Advice Centre has operated with three Advisers in providing a quality assured service to both local consumers and traders, giving advice and assistance with problems arising from the supply of faulty goods and services. However, from the beginning of May 2017, staffing levels will be reduced to just one Adviser which will inevitably mean that service levels will be affected. As a result of this, the opening hours of the Centre will be reduced to 10.00am to 12.00 noon on a morning and 2.00pm to 4.00pm on an afternoon. This arrangement will be reviewed regularly and monitored alongside feedback from on-going customer satisfaction surveys.
Intelligence Model
The Service has operated under the national intelligence model (commonly known as 5x5x5) when receiving, recording and disseminating intelligence, using a database called Memex for this purpose. However, there is a now a new national intelligence model (known as IR) in operation which all enforcement agencies across the country will adhere to. Trading Standards will switch to this new model from the 1st April 2017, once the Memex database has been adapted to comply with IR requirements.
Financial Investigations
The Service now has a qualified Financial Investigator and where appropriate will look to restrain and/or confiscate the assets of an offender under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. This will help to reduce costs, streamline the criminal investigation process and is an asset that could in certain circumstances be used by other regulatory services within the Council.
Scams Awareness
An ageing population means that there are more residents vulnerable to rogue traders and mass marketing scams. To raise awareness of these issues, the Service has signed a partnership agreement with the National Scams Team to identify and support victims in Stockton-on-Tees and will continue to introduce No Cold Calling Zones in suitable locations throughout the Borough.
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10.0 Key Priority Areas
The service planning process helps to identify the key areas of work that support national, regional and local objectives and priorities. For 2017/18, five key service priorities have been identified. Related project work and targets against these key priorities are detailed at Appendix 1. The key service priorities are:-
1. Ensuring a Safe, Fair and Competitive Trading Environment
The Service aims to combat those traders who operate illegally, putting consumers at risk and placing reputable businesses at a trading disadvantage. To do this the effective use of all available intelligence and information will continue to play an essential role in highlighting emerging issues and targeting resources at the areas that will have the greatest impact.
2. Supporting Reputable Businesses
The majority of businesses want to comply with the law and the aim of the Service is to provide support and advice which is accessible, clear and easy to understand. This will help these businesses to develop and in turn this will help promote and sustain economic growth within the Borough.
3. Contributing to Public Health and Wellbeing
The work of the Service contributes to a healthy, safe and vibrant community. This can be evidenced in the work carried out around age restricted products, tobacco and alcohol controls, food labelling, composition and nutrition and animal feed hygiene. Officers work closely with regional organisations, Balance and Fresh.
4. Protecting the Vulnerable
The Service is committed to tackling rogue traders, especially those who target older or vulnerable residents in their own homes. This is often done through direct enforcement action, but in addition over 80 ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ have been established around the Borough.
A partnership agreement has also been signed with the National Scams Team which will help officers in identifying, advising and educating those local vulnerable consumers who are being targeted by scam mail and other mass marketing scams.
5. Providing an Effective Service
The Service continues to look at ways in which to develop, modernise and continually improve service provision. Given the financial challenges facing the Authority it is important that the Service is cost effective and offers value for money and gives priority to the areas that are most important to its residents, businesses and partners.
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11.0 Contact Us
Citizens Advice Consumer Service – can be contacted for consumer advice.
Telephone: 03454 04 05 06 Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Trading Standards Advice Centre – located at the Customer Service Centre, within Stockton Central Library, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1TU. The Centre is open from Monday to Friday:-
Mornings 10.00 am – 12:00 noon Afternoons 2.00 pm – 4:00 pm.
Telephone: 01642 527938 E-mail: trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk Website: https://www.stockton.gov.uk/community-safety/trading-
standards/
Trading Standards Enforcement Section – located at 16 Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1TX, note this building is not open to the general public.
Telephone: 01642 526560 E-mail: trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk Website: https://www.stockton.gov.uk/community-safety/trading-
standards/
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Appendix 1 – Key Actions & Activities
1. Ensuring a Safe, Fair and Competitive Trading Environment
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that goods and services available within the Borough are safe to use and accurately described, measured and priced
Undertake project based work looking at particular identified products / trade sectors
Q1 – Estate agents Q2 – Tobacco products & e-cigarettes Q3 – Toys Q4 – Sunbed hire
June 2017 Sept 2017 Dec 2017
March 2018
THU JWY JWY THU
To work closely with partners and other agencies where appropriate to coordinate, streamline and improve regulatory activity
To work closely with the other Responsible Authorities under the Licensing Act
Develop further links with HMRC and Immigration Officers
Attend monthly meetings and continue with joint working arrangements
Plan and carry out targeted enforcement exercise
Monthly
March 2018
JAL
JAL
To ensure that goods and services available within the Borough are accurately measured
To participate in the NETSA free pouring spirit measures survey in pubs and clubs
Carry out survey and any identified follow up enforcement work
Dec 2017 PCH
To ensure that goods and services available within the Borough are accurately described
Undertake project looking at the accuracy of claims made regarding membership of trade associations and the approval or standard of those products supplied
Undertake project and any identified follow up enforcement work
Dec 2017 THU
To help prevent the sale of unsafe, illicit and counterfeit goods through social media channels and local internet selling sites
Consider new ways of tackling the sale of unsafe, illicit and counterfeit goods through social media channels such as Facebook or through local internet selling sites
Look at options and implement recommended course of action where appropriate
March 2018 JMO
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2. Supporting Reputable Businesses
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that local catering establishments are aware of their legal responsibilities with respect to allergens
Provide advice to local catering establishments on the requirements with regard to allergens
Produce and distribute advice Sept 2017 AGL
To support new start-up businesses and help ensure that they are aware of their legal responsibilities
Work with other Council Departments to identify potential new start-up businesses and when requested provide pre-opening business compliance advice and checks
Carry out pre-opening compliance advice and checks to new start-up businesses as requested
March 2018 JAL
To help ensure businesses are aware of their legal obligations especially with respect to new legislation
Provide advice to small local retailers to ensure compliance with the new rules for tobacco products
Produce and distribute advice April 2017 JWY
To encourage and promote safe and fair trading at markets across the Borough
Coordinated approach with the Markets Manager and local market traders to introduce the Real Deal Charter for safe and fair markets across the Borough
Introduce and launch the Real Deal Charter
Sept 2017 JWY
To ensure that Trading Standards enforcement work is targeted effectively at businesses who are causing significant detriment to consumers and reputable businesses
Monitor quarterly levels of complaints about local businesses and carry out intervention work where appropriate
Instigate an intervention for every business with an unacceptable level of complaints
Liaise with and task the North East Regional Enforcement Team (Scambusters) where appropriate, concerning unfair trading practices that have an adverse effect across the region
Quarterly
When required
PCH
PCH
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3. Contributing to Public Health and Wellbeing
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that food products are safe and accurately described
Produce risk based, intelligence led plan for interventions at local food premises
600 interventions at local food premises March 2018 JJO
To ensure that food products are safe and accurately described
Participate in FSA regional food sampling programme
25 food samples March 2018 AGL
To ensure that food products are safe and accurately described
Undertake project based work looking at particular identified food products/issues
Q1 – Meat species Q2 – Non-permitted colours Q3 – Country of origin for meat products Q4 – Allergens
June 2017 Sept 2017 Dec 2017
March 2018
AGL AGL AGL AGL
To reduce underage sales of alcohol, cigarettes and other age restricted products and ensure that all effective enforcement options are considered
Undertake targeted test purchasing exercises of age restricted products with young volunteers
To assist the Police with Operation Sceptre and undertake a specific underage test purchase exercise in relation to knives
Assess links with Public Health agencies and explore ways to improve the quantity and quality of intelligence on underage sales
Carry out an underage test purchase exercise in relation to knives
Carry out intelligence led underage test purchase exercises
Sept 2017
May 2017
March 2018
JAL
JAL
JAL
To ensure that designated animal feed establishments are appropriately registered and do not present an on-going risk to the human food chain
Participate in FSA regional feed hygiene inspection and sampling programme
Undertake agreed inspection and sampling programme
March 2018 JMO
To promote the Smoke-Free message to coincide with the 10 year anniversary of legislation restricting smoking in public places
Coordinated work in conjunction with Environmental Health and Public Health
Collate intelligence, carry out compliance checks and raise awareness of legislation
July 2017 JAL
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4. Protecting the Vulnerable
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To disrupt criminals who target the elderly and vulnerable in their own homes
Work with other agencies including Police, HMRC and VOSA to target these offenders
Participate in organised days of action, such as National Rogue Trader Day and Operation Mermaid as well as in other initiatives such as the Banking Protocol
March 2018 JWY
To identify and support vulnerable consumers targeted by junk mail and other mass marketing scams
Continue participation in referral arrangements with the National Scams Team (NST) to identify and support victims in Stockton-on-Tees
Identify, visit and support victims and submit monthly return to NST
Monthly THU
To raise awareness of doorstep crime amongst local residents
Introduce further No Cold Calling Zones in suitable locations
Consider all requests for No Cold Calling Zones and action as appropriate
When needed
JWY
To identify and support vulnerable consumers suffering with dementia who are being targeted by nuisance telephone calls
Participate in the NTS campaign to identify and protect dementia sufferers using trueCall call blocking devices
Liaise with Adult Social Care and the Dementia Hub to allocate and provide the devices to the most vulnerable
Sept 2017 THU
To raise awareness of current consumer protection issues and increase the profile of the Service
Attend and/or organise consumer events as and when required
Attend Home Safety event in conjunction with the Stockton Home Safety Association
Provide talks to resident groups on doorstep crime and other consumer protection issues
June 2017
When required
THU
JWY
To receive, record and disseminate intelligence on rogue traders in accordance with national protocols
Integrate the requirements of the new national intelligence model into local working practices
Provide cascade training to officers on the new intelligence model
Monitor use of the Memex database to ensure that the Service is complying with the new requirements
April 2017
Monthly
PCH
PCH
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5. Providing an Effective Service
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that the Trading Standards Advice Centre continues to provides high quality advice and information
Review the work of the Advice Centre with regard to established quality procedures and the reduction in staffing and opening hours
Carry out a satisfaction survey of Advice Centre customers
Review the work of the Advice Centre
A minimum satisfaction index of 90%
6 monthly
March 2018
JJO
FPA
To inform stakeholders with regard to service priorities and related performance
Circulate information summarising last year’s performance
Produce and circulate annual report for 2016/17
June 2017 JJO
To ensure effective and efficient use of the Civica database system
Review current use of the Civica database system and look at extending the application of electronic action diaries
Carry out a trial extending the use of electronic action diaries
March 2018 JJO
To ensure that officers have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their functions effectively
Implement training programme An average of 35 hours of training per officer per year, to include: Food/Feed officers 20 hours for competency requirements; Trading Standards Advisers 6 hours for SQM requirements
March 2018 JJO
To recover, where appropriate, the financial benefit that an offender has obtained from criminal conduct
Liaise with other Regulatory Services within the Council to highlight the benefits of an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
Produce guidance material and distribute to other Regulatory Services
March 2018 JAL
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