Policy Statements and Plans

Mission Statement

Our strategic intent is to support the County Council in its mission to work with partners and meet any mandatory responsibilities placed on the constituent parts of Registration Services, Scientific Services and Trading Standards.

We will use new opportunities given to us by government to think creatively about our role in society and to respond innovatively.

We will make ourselves more visible, relevant and accountable to local people.

We will make Staffordshire County Council a role model for others to follow.

Vision Statement

By March 2005 Health and Consumer Services (see Appendix A) should be synonymous with the use of the words 'community services'. The mindset of the staff employed in Health and Consumer Services should be focussed on the relevance of their work to the lives of the people of Staffordshire; and the people of Staffordshire should be suitably empowered to exert due influence over the future development of Staffordshire County Council Health and Consumer Services.

This commitment can be summarised in the following words: Your County. Your Council. Your Service.

Achieving the Vision

It is proposed that a Compact comprised of elected members, officers and community groups known as 'Staffordshire First' will help shape and develop the service: it will ensure that local needs are accounted for in all we do. 'Staffordshire First' will form part of the democratic process.
It is further proposed that a 'Consumer Watch' scheme will engage local people to act as the eyes and ears of the trading standards service in their communities. The scheme will become an extension of the Service in seeking to maintain a fair trading environment. Representatives from the 'Consumer Watch' scheme will serve upon the Compact.
Education, information and assistance will form the backbone of what we do, allowing us to step outside of any legal straightjacket in order to meet unmet need.
The focus of attention will, initially, be upon trading standards. However, the intention is to move swiftly on, to engage the public and other 'family services' to ascertain what further part Registration Services can play in supporting families * in their communities, including:
Premarital advice and information.
Promoting and developing the availability of support services for adult relationships.

Providing access to counselling services for those suffering distress following the break down of a marriage, problems following birth and following the bereavement of someone close.
* Supporting Families HMSO 1999

Staffordshire Scientific Services must give value for money: if it is able to do so there is some prospect of the Service being developed - although not restored to the way it once was. It must face up to the challenge of choosing to become a commercial unit, competing with the public and private sector; or of becoming a local resource, working closer with local people and responding to local demands linked to health and the environment.
We will need to exploit more aggressively the opportunities afforded by the information age and place this in a local context. We must ensure that the advantages of 'e-commerce' do not pass over large sections of our communities: e-commerce must not become synonymous with 'exclusion'!
We will need to blur the edges of the three component services in order to respond to the needs of the elderly, young and minority groups. We must show that diversity can sit comfortably alongside national demands.
It is inevitable that we will not have all the resource we need to deliver this ambitious agenda and continue to do all we have done to date. It will, therefore, be quintessential for us to place the needs of the most disadvantaged in society at the core of any change-best value review included.

Resource Allocation

Funding of some changes is already in place. Much of the remaining change involves small extra costs that must be borne from a commitment to fund change from within our existing budget: 2½% per annum. Over three years this should amount to £120K per annum, a sum that should enable us to fund most, if not all, internal change-other than any accommodation moves.

Appendix A

Health and Consumer Services is the generic name given to the grouping of what used to be three separate services: Scientific Services; Trading Standards; and Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Scientific Services incorporates the statutory roles of the Public Analyst and Agriculture Analyst. The part the Service plays in food safety and the link between food poverty and ill health is part of a developing agenda. Scientific Services also provide a range of environmental services and act as an emergency advice resource for the County's Fire and Rescue service.

Trading Standards enforce over 900 sets of laws pertaining to the protection of consumers and in ensuring that trade and commerce operate on a level playing field. The responsibilities are wide-ranging: from food standards to dealing with loan sharks; from the safety of products to consumer credit. The consumer advice service handles around 16,000 complaints and enquiries each year from local consumers. It also has the statutory responsibility for farm animal health and welfare matters. This year, foot and mouth crisis put the Service to the test.

Registration Services is well known by all. It is, however, facing its own challenges. After being given the opportunity to license outside venues for civil ceremonies, further developments are afoot to establish the service's credentials as a family service. Last year, Staffordshire Registration Services performed 2,107 civil weddings.

Health and Consumer Services sees its future as a community service and has a number of links with community groups throughout the County.

October 2001

Health and Consumer Services Community Safety Team
Community Safety Team report

Environmental Policy

Health and Consumer Services has developed an Environmental Policy, which is designed to reflect the environmental impacts of our activities, products and services. It includes a commitment to continuous improvement, prevention of pollution and compliance to relevant environmental legislation and other relevant environmental requirements. It states that environmental objectives and targets will be set, which will be regularly reviewed. The Environmental Policy is implemented throughout the whole of Health and Consumer Services, except the Registration Service, as documented below. It is displayed within all reception areas in our offices. If requested it is available to members of the public and any interested party.

Environmental Policy Statement

Health and Consumer Services recognises that we are able to have an effect upon the environment, through our own activities and our influence over others. We are responsible for delivering many services, which have a direct impact on our environment, including the enforcement of environmental protection legislation.

We will endeavour to minimise negative and maximise positive effects on the environment as a result of our activities, integrating the consideration of environmental issues into decision making processes and achieving an appropriate balance between the short term economic and the longer term environmental needs of our community. Wherever possible we will work with our partners recognising that we can achieve more together both in direct impact and in influencing others. Increasingly Health and Consumer Services, through its contacts in the community has the capability to extend its positive effects across Staffordshire.

To meet these aims and to promote the principle of "sustainable development" Health and Consumer Services will work towards:

Assessing the impact of our existing and proposed activities and policies on the environment, and acting on the findings
Introducing the efficient use of materials and energy, preventing the production of pollution and waste, and giving consideration to the latest technologies in all of our own activities and looking to our suppliers and contractors to apply appropriate environmental standards.
Endeavouring to prevent our activities from causing environmental accidents and establishing contingency procedures to minimise the effects of such accidents if they do happen.
Fostering a sense of responsibility for the environment among employees of Health and Consumer Services at all levels, and encouraging greater awareness of environmental issues.
Working with in partnership at all levels, to develop good environmental practices.
Aiming for continuing improvements in environmental performance, meeting and where possible, exceeding minimum standards set by law.
Developing and operating an environmental management system throughout Health and Consumer Services
Regularly reviewing and updating this Policy in consultation with the wider community, setting publicly available environmental objectives and targets and regularly reporting on performance.

Note at present the procedures underpinning this Policy have not been implemented in the Registration Service, which forms part of Health and Consumer Services.

Corporate Enforcement Policy

A copy of the Corporate Enforcement Policy is available

Equal Opportunities Statement

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity in the delivery of our services and employment of our staff. Members of the community and employees can expect fair treatment regardless of gender, marital status, race, disability, sexuality, age or religion. Our aim is to ensure our service provision and employment practices reflect diverse needs and we will address those factors that may restrict access to services and employment opportunities.

We adopt Staffordshire County Council's Equal Opportunities Policy.

All of our information leaflets are available in a range of formats and languages, including Braille and large print, on request.

If this would be useful to you or someone you know, please contact us at 14, Martin Street, Stafford ST16 2LG. Tel: 01785 277888 or e-mail michelle.walsh@staffordshire.gov.uk

We also have a minicom number which is 01785 854156.

Service Plans

Please Note: The following documents are provided in PDF format. Acrobat Reader software is required in order to read them.

DEFRA Framework Agreement 2003

Food Enforcement Service Plan 2004/05

Making the Connection. Trading Standards Contributing To Public Health

Last Modified: 07/03/2007 09:34:25
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