Trading Standards Service Plan 2025 to 2026

Ensuring a safe, fair and competitive trading environment

Objective - To work closely with partners and other agencies where appropriate to coordinate, target and improve regulatory activity

Objective - To ensure the accuracy of weighing and measuring equipment in use for trade

Objective - To work closely with regional regulatory partners on areas of shared concern

Objective - To ensure that food products are safe and accurately described

Objective  - To ensure that designated animal feed establishments are appropriately registered and do not present a risk to animals or the human food chain

Supporting Reputable Businesses

Objective - To ensure that traders selling goods and services online are complying with distance selling and e-commerce rules

Objective - To receive, record and disseminate intelligence on rogue traders in accordance with national protocols

Objective - To ensure that local retailers are complying with the new rules banning the sale of single-use vapes

Objective - To ensure that food sold at catering establishments within the Borough is safe and accurately described

Objective - To ensure that Trading Standards enforcement work is targeted effectively at businesses who are causing significant detriment to consumers and reputable businesses

Contributing to Public Health and Wellbeing

Objective - To ensure that local catering establishments are aware of their legal responsibilities with respect to food allergens

Objective - To ensure that vaping products on sale within the Borough are safe and comply with legal requirements

Objective - To tackle the sale of counterfeit and illicit tobacco in order to disrupt organised criminal activity and assist in efforts to reduce smoking prevalence

Objective - To reduce underage sales of alcohol, cigarettes, vapes and other age restricted products and ensure that all effective enforcement options are considered

Objective - To ensure that transport hauliers are complying with environmental weight restrictions in designated areas

Participate in Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) campaign advising local e-bike and e-scooter repairers and modifiers of their responsibilities under product safety legislation

Protecting the Vulnerable

Objective - To disrupt criminals who target the elderly and vulnerable in their own homes

Objective - To identify and support vulnerable consumers targeted by junk mail and other mass marketing scams

Objective - To raise awareness of doorstep crime amongst local residents

Objective - To support vulnerable consumers suffering with dementia who are being targeted by nuisance telephone calls

Objective - To raise awareness of current consumer protection issues and increase the profile of the service

Objective - To raise awareness of fraud issues and related scams

Providing an effective and efficient service

Objective - To ensure that the Trading Standards Advice Service continues to provide high quality advice and information

Objective - To inform stakeholders with regard to service priorities and related performance

Objective - To increase the number of qualified Trading Standards Officers, using a 'grow your own' approach, to help future-proof service delivery

Objective - To ensure that the Service's regulatory processes comply with the requirements of the new Food Standards Delivery Model

Objective - To ensure that officers have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their functions effectively

Objective - To recover, where appropriate, the financial benefit that an offender has obtained from criminal conduct