Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change which provided background information in advance of a presentation on enforcement and intervention activity by the Council’s Community Protection Service.  The presentation attached in appendix 2 provided an overview on activities of the Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Licensing functions within the Community Protection Service (for copy see file of minutes).

I Harrison, Business Compliance Manager gave a detailed presentation that gave an update on activities carried out by the Consumer Protection Service.   The team covered investigations into underage sales, illicit tobacco, animal welfare, animal licensing, food safety, Natasha’s Law around food being correctly allergen marked, health and safety at work, environmental protection, air quality, private water supplies, the Licensing Act 2003 and taxis. He advised that the newest issue was around illegal vapes which could be sold to anyone at any age.  He showed a video of how contraband was hidden in secret walls within shops which was discovered by a highly trained police dog. He advised that a new bill was to be introduced which would ban the sale of tobacco and vapes to anyone born after 1 January 2009.

J Benson, Health Protection Manager informed the committee that Natasha’s law was introduced in February 2024 to protect allergy sufferers and give them the confidence in the food they bought.  The Food Standards Agency were introducing a new food Standards Delivery model where the Council were required to risk assess the standard compliance which looked at the labelling, quality and composition of food.  Any premises thought to be high risk would be visited regularly.  

T Johnson, Consumer Safety Manager stated that her team looked at animal health especially farm premises to provide quality assurance on where food came from to prevent farmers cutting corners in times of austerity.  New legislation had been brought in that stated that all birds kept outside should be registered with Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). 

The Business Compliance Manager advised that the biggest challenge for 2025 was the annual licensing fee charges which had not changed in 20 years which was meant to cover the administration of the licence. This was a challenge as costs had increased and the service was required to find the additional funding. 

Councillor D Nicholls appreciated that vaping was a massive issue in his ward especially with young people vaping at secondary schools.  He welcomed the work to counteract this issue.  He was concerned at the number of barber shops which were opening at an alarming rate which acted as fronts for organised crime selling counterfeit goods and queried what was being done around this.  He was also concerned about mobile food vendors who did not know what ingredients were in the wrapped food they sold. 

The Health Protection Manager responded that the new legislation covered pre-packed food for direct sale.  The new UK food standard model had a compliance score within the business management system and if sellers were rated poorly and were a high risk they were visited more regularly.

The Business Compliance Manager advised that the team relied on intelligence or complaints about barber shops to warrant investigations where surveillance operations and test purchases were carried out.

The Head of Community Protection stressed that intelligence was important to instigate investigations to try to disrupt any organised crime.

Councillor J Miller asked if bird registrations applied to those who kept birds at allotments and who was responsible to make the registration with Defra.

The Consumer Safety Manager stated that it was the individual who owned the birds who had to register with Defra which applied to birds kept outside including allotments but not budgies or parrot who lived inside homes unless they were allowed to fly outside.

The Head of Community Protection stated birds were required to be registered so that agencies could act quickly to put zones in place in case an epidemic broke out.

The Consumer Safety Manager stressed that this was important for time efficiency to map where birds were instead of having to door knock in emergencies. 

Councillor D McKenna queried if barbers were licenced for hygiene as there were a lot of skin diseases which could be spread if equipment was not cleaned appropriately.  He mentioned that a premises selling illegal tobacco in his ward had been quickly closed following complaints and queried if these businesses were monitored in case they were quick to reopen or relocate elsewhere.

The Consumer Safety Manager confirmed that premises which were closed were monitored but if they reopened it was not always with the same individuals in charge.

The Head of Community Protection advised that a premises could reopen after three months of being closed.  Premises were monitored and could potentially be closed again if intelligence provided evidence that illegal activities were still ongoing. 

Resolved:

That the report and presentation be noted.