Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: That Councillor Pritesh Patel (London Borough of Harrow) be elected as Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were from Councillor Krishna Suresh (London Borough of Harrow), Councillor Nicola Blackman attended as a substitute. Councillor Stephen Crabb(London Borough of Brent) also sent apologies for absence, with Councillor Harbi Farah attending as a substitute.

Item 9 - Report on Vapes

Councillor Blackman declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the report on tobacco in that her husband had previously been involved in the matter in his capacity as an MP. While he was currently a candidate and not an MP, she felt it was appropriate to declare the interest.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 20 March 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

None.

No requests for deputations had been submitted for the meeting.

 Anu Prashar (Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow -Trading Standards) presented the annual report for the year 2023-2024. The report was a contractual requirement between the boroughs and highlights the service’s efforts in promoting a fair-trading environment for consumers and businesses.

Key points included:

Service Requests and Investigations: The service had received 4,297 requests from various sources, including other trading standards teams, police, and businesses. Of these, 1,143 were further analysed, resulting in 331 investigations for Brent and 169 for Harrow.

Primary Authority Partnerships: The service provided 174 hours of advice in Brent and 20 hours in Harrow, marking a 36% increase from the previous year, primarily due to European market changes and product recalls.

Business Support and Compliance Visits: The service supported small businesses and conducted compliance visits (274 in Brent and 138 in Harrow). An example had been shared where a business saved approximately £30,000 by working with the service to correct product labelling.

Wembley Stadium Partnership: The service had contributed to reducing illicit goods and illegal street trading at events, alongside working with Harrow’s teams on issues like the sale of knives and underage sales.

Product Safety: Investigations had led to the removal of 16,000 unsafe children’s swimming vests from the market. The service also provided advice to businesses, saving them potentially £100,000 in losses.

Illicit Tobacco and Underage Sales: The service had seized significant quantities of illicit tobacco and carried out operations to address underage sales of tobacco and vapes, resulting in fines for non-compliant businesses.

Cost of Living Project: The service had conducted compliance checks on car dealers and energy-saving products, removing dangerous items from the market.

Lettings and Letting Agents: The service had issued 15 notices of intent and imposed monetary penalties totalling £12,250 for Brent and £14,600 for Harrow, addressing overcharging and compliance issues.

Financial Investigations: The team had secured 11 confiscation orders totalling over £1.165 million and issued restraint orders to prevent the dissipation of assets during investigations.

The Board asked the following questions regarding the report.

The Board expressed appreciation for the report and noted the extensive activity being undertaken. The Board queried whether there were enough resources to handle the prioritisation of service requests, citing numbers in the report: 1,100 for Brent, 700 for Harrow, with 331 investigated in Brent and 169 in Harrow. The Board asked what would happen if the number of serious cases exceeded capacity, and if the team ever felt overwhelmed by serious cases. The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow -Trading Standards explained that the service prioritises the most serious cases, such as doorstep crimes, particularly those involving vulnerable individuals. Resources were allocated to deal with such cases, and regular reviews of complaints and ongoing investigations were conducted to assess the situation. However, it had noted that more resources would be helpful due to the costliness of investigations, especially in cases like doorstep crimes where expert assessments were often required. Building control resources from both Brent and Harrow were used to provide initial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Team Leader presented a report on the analysis of service requests received by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024. The report provided an overview of the types and volume of complaints and highlighted areas where resources should be focused to have the greatest impact.

A total of 4,397 service requests had been received during the period. Most complaints (85.3%) came via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, with the remainder coming from statutory bodies, businesses, officers, and councillors.

The types of goods and services complained about were grouped into 68 categories. The highest number of complaints concerned used vehicles (610 complaints) and building/renovation services (482 complaints). Substandard services and defective goods were the most reported breaches, often linked to these two categories.

Regarding complaints by location, the NW10 postcode (Brent) and HA1 postcode (Harrow) had the highest number of complaints against businesses. Prioritisation was discussed, noting that only the most serious complaints were investigated due to resource constraints.

The Board was informed that used vehicles and building/renovation services would continue to be the most frequently reported issues. Additionally, the rise in complaints concerning locksmith services in Harrow was noted as an emerging trend.

In conclusion, the service would continue to target hotspot areas and the most complained-about businesses, aiming to raise compliance and reduce complaints. There will also be efforts to raise public awareness of consumer rights and to collaborate with other council departments to address anti-social behaviour linked to certain businesses.

The following questions were asked by the  Members of the Board in response to the update provided.

The Board enquired about the differences in complaints between Brent and Harrow. They noted that a higher proportion of complaints from Harrow residents compared to Brent. The Team Leader advised that this was only the second year of gathering this type of data. A clearer comparison would be provided in the future as trends are further analysed.

The Board highlighted a discrepancy in the report on page 29, where it mentioned February as having the highest demand for Harrow. However, data showed May had higher complaints. The Team Leader acknowledged the error and confirmed that May indeed had the highest demand, noting the need for further analysis to identify trends and seasonal fluctuations in complaints.

The Board raised a concern about used vehicle sales in hotspot areas, such as car parks near train stations, and asked how Trading Standards and the Council would take action in such locations. The Team Leader explained that they often collaborated with businesses for CCTV footage to aid investigations. The Team Leader also suggested the need for public education on buying used vehicles, particularly around conducting checks such as HPI reports and ensuring sellers’ credentials match vehicle details. Additionally, they would consider publicising areas that are prone to fraudulent vehicle sales.

A Board Member provided an example from his ward, where a specific location was notorious for vehicle crime. He suggested a "name and shame" approach for businesses that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Anu Prashar (Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards) presented a report on the proposed government legislation relating to a ban on disposable vapes and new tobacco control measures.

The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards explained that, due to the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election, the legislation did not progress, and its future depends on the incoming government.

The proposed measures included a ban on disposable vapes, concerns over environmental impacts (particularly litter and lithium battery waste), and increased regulation of vape flavours and packaging to prevent child-targeted marketing.

Additionally, a bill was proposed to create a smoke-free generation by making it illegal to sell tobacco to individuals born after January 1, 2009. Trading Standards would be responsible for enforcement, including issuing fixed penalty notices for underage sales.

The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards also noted ongoing collaboration with Brent and Harrow Public Health groups to share intelligence on illicit tobacco and underage vape sales.

There were no questions from the Board.

The report was noted by the Board, with an agreement to monitor developments after the general election.

The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards provided an update on government-directed visits to funeral homes by Trading Standards and Environmental Health teams.

A joint letter had been received from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Ministry of Justice, following an incident at a funeral home in Hull.

The aim was to ensure public confidence in the funeral sector, which had been currently unregulated. Funeral homes in Brent and Harrow would be visited by Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers to assess compliance and audit practices.

The visits would be supported by two trade associations: the National Association of Funeral Directors and the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. These bodies had established procedures for handling deceased individuals.

The purpose of these visits was to gauge compliance and reassure the public, with the possibility of further regulation based on findings.

Visits were yet to commence, but staff have undergone initial training.

The following questions were asked and answered.

The Board asked if Trading Standards had ever engaged with funeral directors prior to this initiative, except in cases of complaints. The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards advised that, in their 30 years with Trading Standards, they had never visited a funeral director. Engagement with funeral directors would only occur if a complaint arose, such as misleading claims about membership in a trade association, which would be a violation under consumer protection laws. The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent Council commented that there had been no history of issues in Brent or Harrow concerning funeral directors, which was reassuring.

The Senior Regulatory Service Manager for Brent & Harrow – Trading Standards further explained that while funeral plans might come under the Trading Standards’ remit, such matters would likely be referred to the Financial Ombudsman. The Officer reiterated that they had never had to investigate a funeral director, and that many professionals in the field were unaware of the lack of regulation in the sector.

The report was noted.

NOTED the dates for future meetings of the Advisory Board agreed for the 2024-25 Municipal Year, as follows:

· Wednesday 6 November 2024 at 6pm to be hosted (online) by the London Borough of Brent

· Wednesday 19 March 2025 at 6pm to be hosted (online) by the London Borough of Harrow