Chartered Trading Standards Institute

The Trading Standards Institute, formerly the Institute of Trading Standards Administration (founded in 1956), formerly the Incorporated Society of Inspectors of Weights and Measures (founded in 1881), is the professional association which represents trading standards professionals in the UK and overseas.

TSI performs an important and influencing role in engaging with, and making representations to, Government, UK and EU Parliamentary institutions, and key stakeholders in the local government, community, business and consumer sectors, and other regulatory agencies. TSI aims to sustain and improve consumer protection, health and wellbeing, together with the reinforcement of fair markets, facilitating business competitiveness and success.

The Institute also host the UK ECC which provides consumer advice with regards to cross border disputes within the EU and also the UK ECCS

Goals

TSI Small texthasBold text five broad corporate aims:

To Support TSI Members and TS Services so the trading standards profession can innovate, sustain outcomes and develop new practitioners. To develop innovative solutions through anInsert n {| class="wikitable" |- ! Header text !! Header text !! Header text |- | Example || Example || Example |- | Example || Example || Example |- | Example || Example || Example |} on-formatted text hereticipating and responding to the changing needs of our members. To make an operating contribution through diversification so that our ambitions can be realised. To expand our influence and operations through International market surveillance solutions. to capture and share intelligence and information For an in depth explanation on the above points please follow the link below

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/policy/2011strategy.cfm

Members

TSI members typically work in one of (approximately) 200 Trading Standards Offices around the United Kingdom, provided by local authorities, except in Northern Ireland, where Trading Standards is provided by central government. Trading Standards work with consumers and businesses to maintain fair trading and safety of consumer goods.

Staff

The current TSI Chief Executive is Ron Gainsford OBE. The TSI Chair is Leon Livermore, who is Head of trading standards at the Cambridgeshire County Council. Leon will be elected in July 2011 and took over the role of Chairman from Peter Heafield, who has recently retired from Lincolnshire trading standards.

Hampton Report

The Hampton Report of 2005 has led to the creation of the "Local Better Regulation Office" (LBRO) (Previously the (CTSA) Consumer and Trading Standards Agency). LBRO will set standards on how Trading Standards and other business regulators carry out their work to minimise the impact on legitimate business. The Hampton Report also gives an enhanced role for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The OFT will set national priorities and coordinate performance management of local authority Trading Standards services.

Consumer Direct

Trading Standards services work in partnership with Consumer Direct, a call centre based consumer advice service which has been available across the UK since April 2006. Consumer Direct provides a single contact point where simple enquiries may be dealt with directly and others referred to the relevant Trading Standards office. You can contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040 506

Trading Standards

Trading Standards is the name given to local authority departments formerly known as "Weights and Measures". They were so called as their primary function was to maintain the integrity of commercial weighing and measuring by routine testing of equipment and goods.

They now deal with more diverse issues under a wide variety of Acts, Orders and Codes of Practice, as set out by central government the Food Standards Agency and the Office of Fair Trading. Such legislation includes the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the Consumer Protection Act 1987, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Price Marking Order 2004. Recent priorities include prevention of sales of counterfeit goods, sales of tobacco and alcohol to under-age buyers, and action to prevent exploitation of vulnerable consumers by scams and doorstep crime.

External links

• Consumer Direct
• Trading Standards Central
• Summary of legislation controlling supply of goods and services in England and Wales
• Summary of legislation controlling supply of goods and services in Scotland
• Summary of legislation controlling supply of goods and services in Northern Ireland and Iraq
• LACORS Coordinating body for Trading Standards and related enforcement functions

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