The Committee will receive a presentation from Trading Standards and the Citizens Advice Bureau on the partnership working.
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation from the Chief Executive of Havering Citizens Advice Bureau. In 2011 the Department for Business, Innovation and skills issued a consultation paper on the future of the “Consumer Landscape” in England. The intention was to “transfer National responsibility for consumer advice, information and advocacy to Citizens Advice (backed by local Citizens Advice Bureaux), with the handover of the Consumer Direct national advice service to Citizens Advice from April 2012”.
In anticipation of these proposals in December 2012, Havering CAB entered into an agreement with Havering’s Trading Standards service to provide consumer advice, information and education. The project had been recognised as an excellent example of a local response to the national policy.
The Committee was informed that the funding came from Trading Standards to set up the joint working, and it was hoped that other boroughs would also carry out the same partnerships. This allowed Trading Standards to carry out more enforcement work and for the CAB to provide a more ‘holistic’ service.
A member asked if Havering worked with other boroughs to share information. The Committee was informed that they looked for the criminal element and would share the intelligence with other Trading Standards and CABs.
The change involved the Havering CAB taking on responsibility for:
· Front line, face to face consumer advice
· Consumer case work (including case work alongside enforcement case) in partnership with Trading Standards
· Co-ordination of local provision for consumer education (including liaison with schools).
· Enhanced liaison and cooperation with trading standards and the local consumer advice partnership
The Committee was informed that the National Citizens Advice consumer service referred cases to Trading Standards if they believed that the consumer was vulnerable, or if the case was too complex for telephone advice. If the case was of a civil nature then it was passed to the CAB Consumer Advice team to deal with it. Any cases received by the CAB with a criminal element were referred to Trading Standards to investigate.
The Committee was shown a number of case studies and how the service had dealt with each case. These included an elderly resident who had contacted the CAB for support in retrieving a £1,128 refund from a large electrical retailer for a TV that was not delivered and installed as promised. The Committee learned that previously Trading Standards would have been unable to support this consumer. The CAB specialist consumer officer was able to look at the case and obtain a full refund for the resident.
The Committee was informed that there was a North East London Project, however officers were awaiting confirmation on the establishment of a Pan London project.
A member asked if companies investigated were ever put on a “black list”. Officers stated that it was very difficult as most people were too vulnerable to act as a witness, however companies were put on a list to investigate and action could be taken against them.
Officers stated that since the partnership was the first in London, they were entering the Consumer Landscape Project into the MJ Achievement Awards 2013.
The Committee thanked the officers for a very interesting presentation.