Agenda item

Margaret Statham, Trading Standards Manager, presented an update on the work of the Trading Standards Service in relation to the sale of age restricted products.

The Trading Standards Team had responsibility for the enforcement of age Restricted Sales Legislation aimed at protecting the health and wellbeing of young people.  Products such as tobacco, fireworks, solvents, videos, lottery tickets, spray paints and alcohol were age restricted as they were believed to be harmful if purchased and used/misused by people under a specific age.

In the first 6 months of 2008/09, the Team had received 5 complaints/referrals in relation to alleged underage sales.  All had been dealt with by personal visits to the premises concerned.  Advice had been given to the owner of each business in respect of the Legislation controlling such sales, together with advice in respect of their legal responsibilities.  Action plans had been developed with all premises where deficiencies in the management of the business had been identified with in put from South Yorkshire Police where appropriate.

The Team, in conjunction with South Yorkshire Police, had carried out intelligence led test purchasing exercises as follows:-

Product           Date of visits               No. of premises visited           No. of Sales

Solvents          June                                          8                                1 (12.5%)

Alcohol                        July-August                             52                               3 (5.7%)

Cigarettes       September                              15                               1 (6.7%)

Total                June-September                     75                               5 (6.7%)

The figures represented a business compliance rate for alcohol and tobacco sales of 94% which exceeded the current target of 93.7% (Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Strategic Objective 2).

Trading Standards had played a role in the development of Operation Fawkes, a multi-agency project that lasted for 2 weeks beginning in late October, 2008.  The Operation involves representatives from South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, the Council and other partners working together to ensure that Rotherham residents enjoyed a safe time both at home and out at events.  As in previous years, Trading Standards enforcement staff would be working with the Police and conducting test purchasing operations at shops around the Borough.  Those shops found to be selling alcohol or fireworks to anyone under the age of 18 could potentially lose their licences and/or face criminal proceedings.  There would be 4 operations involving test purchases of fireworks and 2 involving alcohol and cigarettes.  It was expected that the 6 operations would involve visits to approximately 40 individual premises.

After the conclusion of Operation Fawkes, Trading Standards would continue to work with Safer Neighbourhood Teams with the intention of carrying out at least 1 underage sales exercise per month.

The following issues were raised:-

-              The Service worked very closely with the Police.  There was a Memorandum of Understanding with regard to under age sales, particularly for alcohol;

-              It was not a criminal offence for a parent to give a child an alcoholic drink within the home.  It was an offence if someone was buying alcohol specifically to supply children;

-              Test purchasing for solvents had only been carried out in a couple of Area Assembly areas because of issues raised within them.  However, intelligence did suggest that it was becoming a problem again.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the enforcement activity of the Trading Standards Service in relation to age restricted sales be noted.

(2)  That a report be submitted to the next meeting on Operation Fawkes.

(3)  That a presentation be made to a future Panel meeting by the lead officer of the Scambusters Team.