Trading Standards Service Plan 2021 2022 - Stockton Council
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Trading Standards Service Plan
2021 - 2022
Contents Introduction Section 1 Core Functions Section 2 Service Priorities Section 3 Council Priorities Section 4 National Priorities Section 5 Regional & National Working Section 6 Service Structure & Profile Section 7 Service Context Section 8 Challenges Section 9 Key Priority Areas Section 10 Contact Us Section 11 Key Actions & Activities Appendix 1
1.0 Introduction The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees covers an area of 20,393 hectares Within this setting the Trading Standards Service provides an important and is an area of contrasts - a mixture of busy town centres, urban regulatory function, carrying out a range of duties aimed at protecting residential areas and picturesque villages, whilst also maintaining a consumers and reputable businesses. This protection is provided in strong industrial presence. The population of around 195,700, living in relation to virtually the full range of personal and household goods and approximately 85,700 households, has been increasing steadily since services, from the purchase of daily necessities to the arrangement of a the 2001 census and is expected to increase by a further 11% by 2037. mortgage. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has a vital role to play in providing Through advice, education, enforcement and partnership working, the quality services to the people of the Borough. The Council is performing primary aim of the Trading Standards Service is to provide a fair and strongly and is committed to improving services for local people through safe trading environment for the benefit of consumers and reputable strong leadership, effective partnerships and investment in priorities. businesses in Stockton-on-Tees. Operating effectively with a growing demand for its services alongside The service planning process for Trading Standards is vital in ensuring continued budget restrictions, provides a real challenge for the Council. that resources are allocated to priority areas, which meet the needs and This has been exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic which has had wishes of local consumers and businesses. Taking steps to review, a massive effect on how the Council currently operates and how it will develop and modernise service provision underpin this process and help look to operate going forward. to identify possible service efficiencies. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has always been recognised as a Any feedback on this Plan, good or bad, is welcomed and can be made customer-focused council that delivers value for money and makes in writing to Trading Standards, 16 Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, effective use of its resources, through strong political and executive TS18 1TX, by telephone on 01642 526560, or via e-mail at leadership, good governance and talented, committed employees. It is trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk. these attributes, alongside a planned approach to managing the budget reduction that has helped the Authority in protecting frontline services.
2.0 Core Functions
The Trading Standards 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 animals and the human food chain.
Financial Investigations Using an Accredited Financial Investigator to restrain and/or confiscate the assets of an offender under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
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.3.0 Service Priorities
Through advice, education, enforcement and partnership working, the detriment to consumers and reputable business and to ensure
primary aim of the Trading Standards Service is to provide a fair and public safety.
safe trading environment for the benefit of consumers and reputable
• Working in partnership with a number of different organisations
businesses in Stockton-on-Tees. and bodies such as other Council services, the Police, the North
East Regional Investigations Team and the Citizens Advice
In striving to meet this aim, the Trading Standards Service undertakes a Consumer Service, to underpin all of the above activities and to
number of activities including:- develop and improve service delivery.
• Pro-active, intelligence led market surveillance work to ensure
legal requirements are met and consumers can shop with To help achieve its aim, the Service has identified five key service
confidence. This includes sampling and testing of goods and priorities:-
carrying out business inspections to identify problems before
they cause harm. 1. Ensuring a safe, fair and competitive trading environment.
• Advice and support services for businesses to ensure that they 2. Supporting reputable businesses.
can get things right at an early stage and meet their legal 3. Contributing to public health and wellbeing.
obligations. This includes the testing and certification of weighing
and measuring equipment and providing tailored business 4. Protecting the vulnerable.
advice. 5. Providing an effective and efficient service.
• Providing specialist advice and information to consumers to
enable them to make sound, safe and well-informed choices and Each priority has a number of actions and activities identified for the
to help with problems concerning the supply of faulty goods and period of this Plan. These are set out in more detail in Section 10 and
services. at Appendix 1.
• Responding to complaints from local consumers and businesses
and investigating breaches of consumer protection legislation to
help prevent harmful and hazardous business practices, prevent4.0 Council Priorities
Trading Standards sits within the ‘Our People’ corporate theme and also makes important contributions to all other corporate themes:-
OUR PEOPLE OUR PLACES OUR ECONMOMY OUR COUNCIL
PEOPLE ARE SAFE, HEALTHY & A PLACE THAT IS VIBRANT, A THRIVING ECONOMY WHERE A COUNCIL THAT IS AMBITIOUS,
PROTECTED FROM HARM CLEAN & ATTRACTIVE EVERYONE HAS AN EFFECTIVE & PROUD TO SERVE
OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED
Ensuring the safety of all consumer Regulating estate agents, letting Promoting a fair, safe and equitable Maintaining professional competency
goods agents and property misdescriptions marketplace frameworks
Dealing with doorstep crime Registering and controlling the Providing comprehensive business Ongoing commitment to train staff and
Tackling rogue traders activities of animal feed advice and support update skills and knowledge
Protecting the vulnerable from scams establishments Providing a high-quality consumer Ensuring very high levels of customer
Promoting the wellbeing of children Testing the accuracy of ‘green’ claims advice and information service satisfaction
through underage sales activities Regulating rules on construction Undertaking risk based, Using an Accredited Financial
Tackling illegal money lending products, hazardous substances and comprehensive inspections of local Investigator to help ensure that
Creating No Cold Calling Zones packaging requirements businesses criminals do not benefit from their
Regulating food standards including Enforcing regulations concerning the Active targeting of rogue traders and criminal conduct and that where
provisions around allergens, labelling, safety of fertilisers and pesticides trading malpractice appropriate, their assets are
and composition Monitoring the provision of Energy Tackling product counterfeiting confiscated under the Proceeds of
Tackling the supply of illicit tobacco Performance Certificates and Display Providing a high-quality weights and Crime Act 2002
Enforcing controls on the advertising Energy Certificates measures calibration service for local
and labelling of tobacco products Acting as a Responsible Authority industry
Protecting children from the harm under the Licensing Act to help
caused by alcohol regulate entertainment activities, late
Promoting healthy eating and night refreshment and sales of alcohol
nutritional standards
Promoting Home Safety initiatives
Working closely with partner agencies,
both locally and regionally, to tackle
rogue traders in targeted operations
Ensuring compliance with business
restrictions aimed at preventing the
spread of Coronavirus as a central
part of the Council’s Covid
Compliance Unit5.0 National Priorities
National Trading Standards Board (NTSB)
The NTSB is a group of Chief Trading Standards Officers, representing • Fair trading – used cars
all regions across England and Wales. The Board has been set up by • Fair trading – other misleading practices
the Government as part of changes to the consumer protection • Intellectual property
landscape and the development of an enhanced role for Trading • Age restricted sale of knives
Standards. The NTSB provides leadership, support and resources to • Animal feed
help combat consumer and business detriment across regional and
national boundaries. A vast amount of work has been carried out pulling The NTSB has also recognised that the internet and especially social
together a national strategic assessment for Trading Standards based media is a selling platform of choice for rogue traders and is therefore a
on intelligence to identify those areas causing the most detriment to cross cutting issue across all priorities. As such e-crime is embedded
consumers and businesses. across all the key priority areas of work, in particular looking at those
enablers that allow criminals to function e.g. web site hosting, payment
From this strategic assessment, the NTSB has developed a control providers, fulfilment houses, bank accounts, intermediaries etc.
strategy which outlines the national priorities for intelligence, prevention
and enforcement activities. These priority areas provide a focus for regional and local regulatory
activity and collaborative working with partner organisations, delivering
For 2021/22, NTSB has identified the following priority areas:- national outcomes through local action. Local authorities are
empowered to use local discretion and autonomy to select the most
• Mass marketing scams appropriate ways to meet the regulatory priorities in their locality.
• Doorstep crime and cold calling
• Energy related fraud The Service has considered these national priority areas when setting
• Lettings and estate agency its own key priorities for 2021/22.6.0 Regional & National Working
North East Trading Standards Association (NETSA) National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) Teams
NETSA is a regional partnership of the twelve north east local authority The NTSB oversees a number of directly funded national teams that
Trading Standards Services, working to enhance local service provision undertake enforcement action and co-ordinate national enforcement
and to contribute to meeting local, regional and national priorities. projects in specific areas, including:-
NETSA has sub-groups focussed on specialist areas such as product
safety and metrology, which report directly to the Executive. • The National Estate and Letting Agency Team, jointly based at
Powys and Bristol Trading Standards, is the UK’s lead regulator
The NETSA Executive provides strategic direction and is made up of the under the Estate Agents Act 1979 and the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
managers from the region’s Trading Standards Services and Regional
Investigation Team. The Executive’s work is supported by a Regional • The National e-Crime Team, based at North Yorkshire Trading
Coordinator funded via the NTSB. Standards, aims to protect consumers and businesses in
England and Wales from internet crime and online fraud.
North East Regional Investigations Team
• The National Scams Team, based at Buckinghamshire & Surrey
The North East Regional Investigations Team is a small team of Trading Standards, has introduced a referral system allowing
enforcement officers responsible for tackling level 2 (regional) and level local authority officers to engage with victims on a one to one
3 (national) criminality. Whilst the team is funded via the NTSB, basis. They also gather intelligence on mass marketing scams
governance is provided through the NETSA Executive. Work can be and scam victims and raise public awareness of the damage
allocated to the team via the NTSB’s National Tasking Group or caused by such scams.
NETSA’s Regional Tasking Group (a subgroup of the Executive).
Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS)
Regional Intelligence Analyst
The CACS is funded by the government to provide first tier telephone
A Regional Intelligence Analyst, funded by the NTSB, works with Local advice on consumer issues. Enforcement actions and the more complex
Intelligence Liaison Officers from each Authority to improve intelligence consumer problems, including those requiring follow-up casework are
collection and analysis and to develop intelligence sharing with other referred onto our specialist officers to deal with at a local level. A referral
enforcement agencies including the three regional Police forces, HMRC, protocol exists to help ensure the efficiency of the referral process and
NCA and others. all cases are referred to local officers via a secure web portal. Officers
regularly provide feedback to CACS on any service issues that are
identified.7.0 Service Structure & Profile
An organisational structure chart for the Trading Standards Service is For the financial year 2021/22, the budget for the Trading Standards
outlined below: Service is £371,924. This includes a contribution to the running of the
Tees Valley Measurement Centre. A summary is provided below:-
12
Trading Standards Trading Standards Service 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Manager Budget (£) (£) (£)
Trading Standards 386,741 388,924 388,924
Tees Valley Measurement 45,000 45,000 45,000
Gross Budget 431,741 433,924 433,924
Trading
Standards Income (70,000) (70,000) (62,000)
Officer
(x4 FTE)
Net Budget 361,741 363,924 371,924
Trading Trading
Standards Standards
Enforcement Adviser
Officer
(x2 FTE)
Operational
Support
Assistant
(x0.5 FTE)8.0 Service Context
Looking at the level of work undertaken, how it is carried out and Top Three Requests for Advice from Business (2020) % of Total
assessing customer satisfaction levels can be used to indicate if service Product safety 39
provision is being targeted appropriately. Some headline figures Civil Law including problems relating to the supply of faulty 18
include:- goods and services
Food Standards including allergens, labelling and 13
Service Demands composition
Nature of Contact 2019 2020
Advice Centre Complaints & Enquiries 323 223 Customer Satisfaction Levels
Citizens Advice Consumer Service 1 1274 1431 8 Satisfaction levels remain exceptionally high for those using the Trading
Standards Advice Centre.
Criminal Complaints, Enquiries, Investigations 511 478
& Scam Interventions
Breach of Coronavirus business restrictions 0 170 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21
% % %
Satisfaction Index 100 96.4 97.6
Most Complained About Subject Areas
Top Three Complained About Goods & Services (2020) % of Total Redress Levels
Home maintenance, repairs and improvements 18
Tobacco Products 8 This is the amount of money that the Service has obtained in redress for
Second-hand motor vehicles 8 local consumers and businesses.
Top Three Criminal Complaints (2020) % of Total 2018 2019 2020
£ £ £
Fraudulent & unfair trading practices 51 Redress Obtained 133,045 90,792 138,519
Counterfeit & illicit products 14
Product safety concerns 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.9.0 Challenges
Trading Standards has to face the challenge of delivering an effective Scams Awareness
service despite growing demands and reducing resources. Some of the
main challenges are summarised below:- An ageing population means that there are more residents vulnerable to
rogue traders and mass marketing scams. To raise awareness of these
COVID-19 issues, the Service has signed a partnership agreement with the
National Scams Team to identify and support victims in Stockton-on-
The coronavirus pandemic has had a massive effect on the way in which Tees and will continue to introduce No Cold Calling Zones in suitable
all Council services are delivered, including in particular the advent of locations throughout the Borough.
working from home. As well as this, Trading Standards Officers have
had to adapt their working practices to deal with a number of emerging Financial Investigations
issues including, finding new ways to deal with consumer complaints
and business enquiries; taking a lead role in the enforcement of the rules The Service has an Accredited Financial Investigator and where
around business restrictions; tackling scammers taking advantage of appropriate will look to restrain and/or confiscate the assets of an
heightened sensitivities around the pandemic; operating in line with offender under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. This will help to reduce
guidance from government bodies such as the Food Standards Agency; costs, streamline the criminal investigation process and is an asset that
and developing knowledge and expertise in a range of related legislative could in certain circumstances be used by other regulatory partners.
areas such as personal protective equipment, biocidal products, pricing
and packaged travel and linked transactions. Brexit
Trading Standards Advice Service The UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020 and immediately
entered into an 11-month transition period, designed to allow time to
The Service has its own Trading Standards Advisor. In line with working decide the terms of the future UK-EU relationship. A new agreement
arrangements as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Advisor has was finally struck in December 2020, containing new rules for how the
been working from home, providing consumer advice over the telephone UK and EU will live, work and trade together. The UK is also now free
and via email. These arrangements have worked well and continue to to set its own trade policy and negotiate deals with other countries. It is
be reviewed regularly and monitored alongside feedback from on-going perhaps clearer now more than ever that market standards are vital for
customer satisfaction surveys. our economy and any potential new trade deals. Frontline Trading
Standards Officers will have to unpick the uncertainties and make sure
that the regulatory and legal framework operate effectively.10.0 Key Priority Areas
The service planning process helps to identify the key areas of work that 4. Protecting the Vulnerable
support national, regional and local objectives and priorities. For
2021/22, five key service priorities have been identified. Related project The Service is committed to tackling rogue traders, especially those who
work and targets against these key priorities are detailed at Appendix 1. target older or vulnerable residents in their own homes. This is often
The key service priorities are:- done through direct enforcement action, but in addition over 130 ‘No
Cold Calling Zones’ have been established around the Borough.
1. Ensuring a Safe, Fair and Competitive Trading Environment
A partnership agreement has also been signed with the National Scams
The Service aims to combat those traders who operate illegally, putting Team which will help officers in identifying, advising and educating those
consumers at risk and placing reputable businesses at a trading local vulnerable consumers who are being targeted by scam mail and
disadvantage. To do this the effective use of all available intelligence other mass marketing scams.
and related information will continue to play an essential role in
highlighting emerging issues and targeting resources at the areas that 5. Providing an Effective and Efficient Service
will have the greatest impact.
The Service continues to look at ways in which to develop, modernise
2. Supporting Reputable Businesses and improve service provision. Given the financial challenges facing the
Authority it is important that the Service is cost effective and offers value
The majority of businesses want to comply with the law and the aim of for money and gives priority to the areas that are most important to its
the Service is to provide support and advice which is accessible, clear residents, businesses and partners.
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 a number of areas, including the
work carried out involving Covid compliance checks, age restricted
products, tobacco and alcohol controls, food labelling, composition and
nutrition checks and animal feed hygiene controls.11.0 Contact Us
Citizens Advice Consumer Service – can be contacted for consumer
advice. The opening hours for the Service are:-
Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Telephone: 0808 223 1133
Website: https://www.gov.uk/citizens-advice-consumer-service
Trading Standards Advice Service – this Service operates a
telephone appointment system from Monday to Friday:-
Morning Appointments 10:00am – 12:00 noon
Afternoon Appointments 2:00pm – 4:00pm.
Telephone: 01642 526560 – contact to arrange appointments
E-mail: trading.standards@stockton.gov.uk
Website: https://www.stockton.gov.uk/our-people/trading-
standards/
Trading Standards Enforcement Section – located at 16 Church
Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TX. Please 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/our-people/trading-
standards/Appendix 1 – Key Actions & Activities 2021/22
1. Ensuring a Safe, Fair and Competitive Trading Environment
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To work closely with partners and other To work closely with the other Responsible Attend monthly meetings and continue Monthly JJO
agencies where appropriate to coordinate, Authorities under the Licensing Act with joint working arrangements
streamline and improve regulatory activity
Contribute to local and regional intelligence Attend regular meetings and continue Quarterly PCH
sharing groups with joint working arrangements
Develop further links with Police, HMRC and Plan and carry out targeted enforcement March 2022 SMY
Immigration Officers exercise
To ensure that goods and services available Deliver a risk based legal metrology Undertake 150 metrology enforcement March 2022 JTA
within the Borough are safe and accurately intervention programme actions
measured
Contribute to regional NETSA projects as Carry out projects as and when required March 2022 PCH
and when required
To ensure that products and services Undertake work looking at the safety of part Carry out visits to local tyre fitting March 2022 THU
provided by local tyre fitting centres are safe worn tyres and puncture repair services centres and provide advice and
guidance as necessary
To ensure that products and services Provide advice to local beauty salons with Produce and distribute guidance Dec 2021 THU
provided by beauty salons are safe regard to teeth whitening services
To reduce underage sales of alcohol, Undertake a targeted test purchasing Carry out an intelligence led underage March 2022 SMY
cigarettes and other age restricted products exercise of age restricted products with a test purchase exercise
and ensure that all effective enforcement young volunteer
options are considered2. Supporting Reputable Businesses
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that local food businesses are Provide advice to local food businesses with Draft and circulate guidance to local July 2021 AGL
aware of new changes coming into force regard to new allergen labelling rules for businesses on the new allergen labelling
regarding the labelling of allergens food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) requirements for PPDS foods
coming into force in October 2021.
Review enforcement procedures with regard Develop enforcement policy in line with the Develop and implement policy March 2022 JJO
to letting agents and property management requirements of the Tenant Fees 2019
companies
To receive, record and disseminate Integrate the requirements of the national Monitor the use of the IDB intelligence Ongoing PCH
intelligence on rogue traders in accordance intelligence model into local working database, to ensure Service is
with national protocols practices complying with national intelligence
requirements
Consider rollout of IDB database to other March 2022 JJO
Council regulatory services
To ensure that Trading Standards Collate information on identified traders to Monitor complaints and instigate an Quarterly PCH
enforcement work is targeted effectively at ensure that intervention work is carried out intervention for those businesses with an
businesses who are causing significant when appropriate unacceptable level of complaints
detriment to consumers and reputable
businesses Complete a local intelligence data Quarterly PCH
submission for the Regional Tactical
Assessment
Liaise with and task the North East When PCH
Regional Enforcement Team where required
appropriate, concerning unfair trading
practices that have an adverse effect
across the region3. Contributing to Public Health and Wellbeing
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that food products are safe and Carry out a risk based, intelligence led plan 150 interventions at local food premises March 2022 JJO
accurately described for interventions at local food premises
To ensure that local catering establishments Provide allergens advice to local catering Provide advice and guidance during March 2022 AGL
are aware of their legal responsibilities with establishments, including on the new rules programmed visits
respect to allergens for food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS)
coming into force in October 2021. Undertake allergens sampling project Dec 2021 AGL
with follow up advice and guidance as
required
To tackle the sale of counterfeit and illicit Use an intelligence led approach to disrupt Participate in Operation CeCe alongside March 2022 SMY
tobacco in order to disrupt organised criminal the sale and distribution of counterfeit and HMRC and other regional TS partners
activity and assist in efforts to reduce illicit tobacco
smoking prevalence Undertake enforcement action against
identified targets, utilising all March 2022 SMY
enforcement options available
To protect public health and help prevent the Enforce regulations concerning the Assist in the enforcement of COVID-19 Dec 2021 JJO
spread of COVID-19 in the local area restriction / closure of business activity as a business restrictions as part of the Covid
result of the COVID-19 pandemic Compliance Unit in accordance with
local protocols
To ensure that designated animal feed Participate in FSA regional feed hygiene Undertake agreed inspection and March 2022 JMO
establishments are appropriately registered inspection and sampling programme sampling programme
and do not present a risk to animals or the
human food chain4. Protecting the Vulnerable
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To disrupt criminals who target the elderly Work with other agencies including Police, Participate in organised days of action, When PCH
and vulnerable in their own homes HMRC and VOSA to target these offenders such as National Rogue Trader Day and required
Operation Mermaid as well as in other
initiatives such as the Banking Protocol
To identify and support vulnerable consumers Continue participation in referral Identify, visit and support victims and Monthly THU
targeted by junk mail and other mass arrangements with the National Scams submit monthly return to NST
marketing scams Team (NST) to identify and support victims
in Stockton-on-Tees
To raise awareness of doorstep crime Introduce further No Cold Calling Zones in Consider all requests for No Cold Calling When THU
amongst local residents suitable locations Zones and action as appropriate required
To support vulnerable consumers suffering Participate in NTS campaigns to help protect Liaise with Adult Safeguarding as March 2022 THU
with dementia who are being targeted by dementia sufferers using available call appropriate to allocate and provide any
nuisance telephone calls blocking devices available devices to the most vulnerable
To raise awareness of current consumer Attend and/or organise consumer events as Contribute to the work of Stockton’s March 2022 AGL
protection issues and increase the profile of and when required Home Safety Association
the Service
Provide talks to resident groups on When THU
doorstep crime and other consumer required
protection issues
To raise awareness of fraud issues and Implement the recommendations of the Draft Action Plan for approval by the July 2021 JJO
related scams Scrutiny Review looking into issues around Crime and Disorder Select Committee
fraud awareness (personal)
Continue sharing and disseminating key March 2022 THU
anti-fraud messages
Include regular fraud-related feature in
Stockton News
Share key fraud-related messages with
the Council’s Big Minds Bright Futures
(BMBF) initiative5. Providing an Effective and Efficient Service
Objective Actions Targets Timescale Officer
To ensure that the Trading Standards Advice Review the operation of the Advice Service Carry out a review of the operation of the Sept 2021 JJO
Service continues to provide high quality particularly with regard to staffing levels, Trading Standards Advice Service
advice and information opening hours and method of operation
Carry out a satisfaction survey of Advice A minimum satisfaction index of 90% March 2022 FPA
Centre customers
To inform stakeholders with regard to service Circulate report summarising performance in Produce and circulate an annual Sept 2021 JJO
priorities and related performance 2020/21 performance report for 2020/2021
To ensure that the Council’s regulatory Review the Council’s Regulatory Services Carry out the review, consult as Dec 2021 JJO
processes comply with the requirements of Enforcement Policy appropriate and implement any changes
the Regulators’ Code necessary
Obtain Cabinet and/or Council approval March 2022 JJO
To ensure that the Service continues to run Implement the requirements of the Council’s Agree flexible working arrangements Sept 2021 JJO
efficiently and smoothly in accordance with flexible working arrangements to ensure that
the Council’s flexible working arrangements the Service continues to run efficiently and Participate in pilot scheme and amend March 2022 JJO
smoothly working arrangements as necessary
To ensure that officers have the necessary Implement training programme An average of 20 hours of training per March 2022 JJO
skills and knowledge to carry out their officer per year, to include Food/Feed
functions effectively officers for competency requirements
To recover, where appropriate, the financial To carry out where appropriate, financial Carry out financial investigations when March 2022 JJO
benefit that an offender has obtained from investigations under the Proceeds of Crime required and assist external regulatory
criminal conduct Act 2002 partners as appropriateYou can also read
