Protecting Our Community 24/7

The council’s Public Protection division works around the clock to protect the local community. A new report, published this week, outlines the wide range of activities the team is involved with, from consumer advice and environmental enforcement, to testing under-age sales and monitoring CCTV cameras. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The dedicated team performs a number of functions to help protect, promote and improve the health, safety and economic well-being of residents. They also regulate trade, commerce and the environment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council’s Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee considered a report on Tuesday (21st June) providing an extensive overview of Public Protection activities over the past 12 months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of the key areas for the team is tackling illegal under-age sales and the report details actions concerning under-age sales of alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, butane lighter refills and lottery tickets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Scrutiny Committee also considered, in accordance with the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Code of Practice, the council’s CCTV system to ensure that it remains necessary, proportionate and effective. The CCTV team dealt with 4,179 incidents last year including responding to 1,251 requests from Gwent Police for CCTV assistance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Enforcement officers issued 37 Fixed Penalties for Dog Fouling, with 269 Stray Dogs Impounded and they also issued 178 Fixed Penalties for Littering. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details about the number and nature of Consumer Advice complaints dealt with by the Trading Standards service are also included in the report. Issues range from concerns about second hand car dealers to shoddy work undertaken by cowboy builders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The total value of all goods and services dealt with by advice service was over £2million and the total value of all goods and services where Caerphilly consumers sought advice either directly from the council or the Citizens Advice service was £7.4million. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The work of the council’s public protection team is crucial to ensure that consumers and business are protected,” said Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services. “It’s important that our residents are aware of the crucial role that they play in making our communities a safer place to live, work and visit.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​