Public Performance Reporting

Trading Standards

• We provide consumer, business and debt advice, and enforce legislation to protect consumers and legitimate businesses from illegal, unfair and deceptive trading practices.
• We provide an Animal Health and Welfare Service which protects the welfare of farmed animals and prevents the spread of disease throughout the country. We attended the Ayr livestock market on 130 occasions to ensure the welfare of farm animals.
• In 2008/09, we handled 3,525 consumer complaints involving £4.5 million worth of goods and services, obtaining £610,000 in refunds, exchanges and compensation for customers.
• We dealt with 1,500 cases involving £12 million of debt that people were unable to pay.
• We carried out 393 criminal investigations and 930 enforcement visits leading to 11 reports to the Procurator Fiscal and over 212 warnings and notifications.
• We received 132 requests for advice from businesses.  We also provided training for the licensed trade to 114 staff from 16 licensed businesses on how to comply with Trading Standards law.
• We received recognition for anti-counterfeiting work and won a ‘Gold’ Spirits Producers Federation award.
• We have the only trained advisors in South Ayrshire offering clients a legally protected Debt Payment Plan under the Government Debt Arrangement Scheme.
• During 2008/9, we were involved in initiatives such as ‘Fake Free Ayrshire’; action against fakes, frauds and scams; ‘No Cold Calling’ at Sheltered Housing Units; Solvents and Tobacco Test Purchasing; ran two ‘Open Days’ for secondary school pupils; training for licensed trade staff; counterfeiting investigations; excess baggage checks at the airport; electric blanket testing for the elderly and more.

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