Noticeboard Never forget your standards CTSI chief executive Leon Livermore speaks out about the dangers of under-resourcing regulatory services The Chartered Institute of Environmental Healths recent workforce survey has again highlighted continued cuts to regulatory services, something CTSI is also concerned about. Because their purpose is to prevent breaches of the law, the impact of regulatory services can be largely invisible to the public and to their elected representatives. A regulatory service is often only visible when it fails to police the market effectively for example, when horsemeat enters the food chain undetected, or childrens fancy-dress costumes go up in ames. Furthermore, regulatory services are often disproportionately affected by austerity, and so have been left unable to absorb more cuts without serious risk to the publics health and wellbeing. With such levels of attrition, it is no wonder that independent research by the University of Birmingham expresses concern over a loss of expertise and resilience. Regrettably, even more cuts are expected and they run the risk of reducing the level of service below that required to cope with national threats, such as the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak. CTSI believes that regulatory services must be properly funded to deliver preventative and proactive services, and not just to meet their statutory duties. Trading standards staff numbers have halved in the past ve years, and some services are left with just one or two ofcers. Preventing children from buying alcohol and tobacco delivers huge long-term savings for the NHS, while protecting pensioners from scams supports independent living, rather than costly care homes. Unfortunately, these outcomes are difcult to measure within any one nancial year, and are often overlooked when councils set trading standards budgets currently at 0.2 per cent of overall local authority funding. CTSI will continue to help local authorities meet their statutory duties, but is urging them to recognise the huge savings available from properly funded, proactive and preventative services when they set their forthcoming budgets. This letter was rst published in The MJ, a weekly publication about local government and public sector matters. Get involved! August 2015 ww w.tradingstan Do you have an intellectual IP or surveillance services in property (IP), legal or dards.uk this issue, or to provide an surveillance service you would w w w.tradin July 2015 gstandards.u k email advertising@tsi.org.uk Then dont miss this great m Ag A z i n e advertorial/sponsored feature, like to see profiled in TS Today? n dA r d s t r A d i n g s tA or call 01268 582221 for a opportunity as the October issue will have an IP/legal/ media pack. Anyone wishing to discuss surveillance theme the last of editorial opportunities should the themed issues in 2015. trading uth 2015 ournemo B 0345 608 9468. Dont forget your CPPD points and a chance to win 25! CTSI members can continue their personal and professional development by completing Module 3 of the CPPD section, featured in the latest (August) issue of TS Review. This module looks again at the Consumer Rights Act, but this time focuses on investigatory powers. To complete the module, members should ll out an online form on CTSIs website by 23 October. Plus, members are reminded that 25 in Love2shop gift vouchers are available to be won! Simply answer the questions correctly in the Downtime quiz featured in the August issue of TS Review and you could be in with a chance of winning. The vouchers are accepted at more than 20,000 high street stores, including Argos, Boots, Debenhams, Toys R Us, House of Fraser, River Island, New Look and Waterstones, plus restaurants, attractions and more. s m ag a z i n e e CTSI Conferenc special and Exhibition s, report: highlight st news debates and late call editor Carina Bailey on To advertise your legal/ s ta n d a r d Joining for ces Trading stan dards and po lice pilot pro ject in Scotla nd and reap rewards Prize draw winners revealed After weeks of anticipation, CTSI can now announce the winners of its Conference survey prize draw, which took place in July. Delegates and exhibitors at the four-day CTSI Conference in Bournemouth earlier this summer were asked to ll in a questionnaire. Their feedback will help CTSI shape future conferences. Now, TS Today can reveal that Heidi Neil, representing the trading standards service at Carmarthenshire County Council, is the Conference exhibitor questionnaire winner. Her prize is a full-page advertisement in TS Today. Jane MacGregor, managing director at MacGregor Consulting, is the Conference delegate questionnaire winner, and she wins 25 worth of high street shopping vouchers. CTSI would like to thank all of those who took part, and hopes the winners enjoy their prizes.