Our vision
To be known as the leading trading standards service in the UK, in protecting consumers, supporting communities and contributing to economic growth and resilience. To be recognised for innovation, excellent customer service and as a great place to work.
Our objectives
We support delivery of all four partner local authorities’ strategic goals. Although not identical, they can be grouped into a set of generic priorities expressed by four key outcomes which make up the Service Mission Statement:
- Economic growth is supported by ensuring a fair, responsible and competitive trading environment.
- Consumers, especially the more vulnerable, are protected and more confident; communities are safer, better informed and more fully engaged in the work of the Service.
- To help people live healthier lives by preventing harm, promoting individual health and supporting the creation of a healthier environment.
- To be recognised for innovation, excellent service and as a great place to work.
Our priorities
Our enforcement priorities are identified through an annual Strategic Assessment, which analyses the last three years of Service activity to identify key issues and likely trends. A law enforcement model of risk is then used to rank each service functional area by balancing threat and harm with the capabilities and resources of our joint Trading Standards Service. Threat factors assessed included reported physical harm, financial detriment and volume of complaints received. These are then prioritised and incorporated into our Control Strategy. Our five priority areas for 2023/24 are:
- Scams.
- Doorstep crime and rogue trading.
- Animal health and welfare including disease control.
- Illicit tobacco and vapes.
- Food allergens and standards.
The key cross-cutting priority for 2023/24 which will receive intervention as required is the cost-of-living crisis.
For more information on this and our wider work, structure and governance see Service plans, governance and policies.
Our challenges and opportunities
The Service now covers four local authority areas and as one of the largest Trading Standards services in the country we need to continue to build on the benefits of a joint service arrangement: identifying opportunities for making the service more efficient and effective. We need to maximise the value of our unique partnership with local authority Economy Teams, providing a more comprehensive business support package and contributing to economic growth and resilience.
An ongoing and increasing challenge is to work with partners to tackle organised cross border consumer crime, rogue traders, scams, and the growth of electronic crime. In doing so we need to ensure we protect the most vulnerable in our communities, who are often deliberately targeted and exploited.