Carina Bailey Editor tstoday@tsi.org.uk
The whirlwind of Conference may be over, but fear not! Among the many pages of this bumper issue of TS Today you will: read of the burning issues debated by panellists and delegates during the four-day event; learn a thing or two about the new national Food Crime Unit; and discover CTSIs latest plan to target intellectual property (IP) crime.
There is also coverage of the many deserving award winners achievements both the officers working within the trading standards community and the heroes operating on its outskirts. Mike Weatherley, former IP adviser to government, was hailed as just one of our heroes for the significant contribution he made to consumer protection during his role in parliament; and broadcaster and journalist Matt Allwright was presented with CTSIs Media Hero Award for his consistently high level of consumer journalism. Plus, you will find all the usual highlights from the exhibition floor and networking events condensed here for your enjoyment.
Take a step back from the main event in CTSIs calendar and we remember that the profession and local authority budget-setters will be on tenterhooks this month awaiting the publication of Liverpool Councils investigation into its trading standards service, following a restructure that was originally contested by Liverpool resident and former trading standards officer, Stephanie Hudson.
This decision is expected to suggest what the minimum requirements are for a trading standards service, and it is envisaged that local authorities across the land will follow the decision-makers lead. Watch out for further coverage of the issue in future editions of TS Today.