National Award For Carmarthenshire Trading Standards

Carmarthenshire Trading Standards has been named joint winner of the Trading Standards and Environmental Health category at the prestigious MJ Awards. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Seen as one of the pinnacles of public service excellence across the UK, the awards recognise council teams who deliver outstanding and innovative services to its residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The gongs were handed out by comedian Dara O’Briain at an exclusive ceremony in London’s Hilton last night. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The team was proud to accept the award after impressing judges with its Money Wise scheme, a project they developed to help people, in particular children and young families, to understand the concept of money – where it comes from and how to save and spend wisely. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as winning one of the top awards of the night, the team was also highly commended in the Innovation in Partnership category for its Financial Exploitation Safeguarding Scheme (FESS), a multi-agency scheme to protect vulnerable people against scams, fraud and repeat exploitation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The scheme was also shortlisted for the Delivering Better Outcomes category. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said: “I am so very proud of the Carmarthenshire Trading Standards team who have stood out, not only from other Trading Standards teams across the UK, but also from a diverse range of other local council services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We were thrilled to be named finalists in three categories, but to walk away with one of the top awards and be named highly recommended in another really shows the quality of service our dedicated team of Trading Standards officers offer here in Carmarthenshire.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​