The meeting was primarily focused on the appointment of Councillor Pritesh Patel as the new chair, introductions of attendees, and the presentation of the Trading Standards Annual Report for 2023/24. Other topics included the analysis of service requests, government announcements on tobacco and vapes, and the regulation of funeral directors.

Appointment of Chair

Councillor Pritesh Patel was nominated and seconded as the new chair for the London Borough of Harrow. This was followed by introductions from all attendees, including Samuel Abdalai, Councillor Blackman, Councillor Norman Stevenson, Emma Faizy, Simon Legg, Anu Prashar, Rita McDani, Councillor Kripa Sheth, and Councillor Farah.

Trading Standards Annual Report 2023/24

Anu Prashar presented the Trading Standards Annual Report, highlighting key activities and statistics:

• Service Requests: The service received 4,297 requests, with 1,143 analyzed by Brent and 718 by Harrow. Investigations were conducted for 331 complaints in Brent and 169 in Harrow.
• Primary Authority Partnerships: Brent has partnerships with IKEA and River Island, while Harrow has one with Premier Decorations.
• Consumer Safety: Investigations included unsafe children's swimming vests and illicit tobacco products. Significant seizures included 40,000 cigarette sticks and 100 kilograms of smokeless tobacco.
• Age-Restricted Products: The team conducted 85 visits to check compliance with age restrictions on products like vapes and lighter fuel.
• Financial Investigations: The team secured 11 confiscation orders totaling £1,165,409 and two restraint orders.

Analysis of Service Requests

Samuel Abdalai provided an analysis of service requests received from April 2023 to March 2024:

• Volume and Sources: 4,297 service requests were received, with 85.3% coming from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
• Types of Complaints: Used vehicles and building renovation services were the most complained about, with 610 and 482 complaints respectively.
• Geographical Distribution: NW10 and HA1 were the top areas for complaints in Brent and Harrow, respectively.

Government Announcement on Tobacco and Vapes

Anu Prashar discussed the government's proposed ban on disposable vapes and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to create a smoke-free generation. The bill would make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009. However, the bill's progress is uncertain due to the upcoming general election.

Regulation of Funeral Directors

The government has requested that trading standards and environmental officers conduct visits to funeral homes to ensure public confidence in the sector. This follows an incident in Hull where a funeral home was raided by the police. The visits aim to assess compliance and may lead to further regulations.

Other Business

• Next Meeting Dates: The next meetings are scheduled for November 6, 2024, hosted by Brent, and March 19, 2025, hosted by Harrow.

The meeting concluded with no additional business.