Hampshire County Council

Policy and Resources Scrutiny and Select Committee Item 11

11 July 2005

Regulatory Services - Service Plan 2005/6

Report of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

The Regulatory Services Service Plan will impact on the delivery of all the Corporate Aims, in particular:

Aim 1 - Maximising Life Opportunities - by providing Consumer advice and education.

Aim 2 - Stewardship of the environment - promoting good quality agricultural and animal health practices, enforcing petroleum legislation and carrying out environmental testing.

Aim 3 - Achieving economic prosperity - supporting Hampshire's businesses and extending the "Buy with Confidence" scheme.

Aim 4 - Building strong & safe communities - This plan supports the policies of promoting good public health, reducing underage sales of alcohol and tobacco, protecting the vulnerable from fraudulent trading, introducing citizenship ceremonies and reducing antisocial behaviour via high visibility patrols.

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Introduction

1.1

Regulatory Services cover Trading Standards, Scientific Services, the Registration Service and the Community Safety Service. In 2004, the P&R Policy Review Committee considered a number of Regulatory Services Plans including the statutory Food Service Plan, the Trading Standards National Performance Framework and the Hampshire Scientific Service Business Plan. The new Community Safety Service was launched in December 2004, to deter low level crime and antisocial behaviour. For the first time, an overarching Service Plan has been produced covering the key aims and objectives of all four services and it is attached at Appendix 1 for consideration.

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Key Features of the Service Plan

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3.6.

The primary aims of Regulatory Services are:

· To enforce fair trading, food standards, product safety, weights & measures and animal health laws, via inspection, sampling, testing and advisory services for the public of Hampshire.

· To provide a customer focussed service to the public for the registration of births, deaths and marriages and to conduct a range of other celebratory services for the public.

· To provide a statutory Public Analyst Laboratory and scientific service covering food safety and environmental health.

· To improve community safety by reducing and deterring low level crime and antisocial behaviour.

In 2005-6, several major themes will dominate the agenda and will require the Service to meet either national initiatives or local policies.

The functional Service Plans give detailed objectives for each Service, but our overall key priorities are:

· To further develop the Community Safety Service.

· To remodel the Advice Service following the launch of Consumer Direct South East in 2005.

· To develop the "Choosing Health" campaign, to promote healthy eating, reduced smoking and sensible alcohol consumption.

· To develop systems to embrace the new schemes, legislation and ceremonies effecting the Registration Service. Civil partnerships will be introduced in December 2005.

· To meet e-government target BVPI 157 - introducing on-line booking systems in the Registration Service.

· To improve cost-effectiveness at Hampshire Scientific Service by implementing a new marketing plan.

· To improve sample turnaround times for laboratory customers, by utilising efficiencies identified through the Lean Manufacturing process.

· To expand the Buy with Confidence scheme to become the South East model.

· To expand operational capability to protect older and vulnerable individuals.

Key challenges

Managing budget pressures - delivering service improvements whilst also realising cash savings

Business planning/income streams - marketing the Registration and Scientific Services to customers to maximise income streams.

Office accommodation - preparing business cases for the relocation of Trading Standards and Scientific Services to optimise future performance.

Flexible working - adopting innovative new work practices to improve efficiency, effectiveness and work-life balance.

Succession planning - identifying future specialists, innovators and leaders to address the impending shortage of skills resulting from retirements and staff turnover. Also maximising the opportunities arising from the new pay & benefits system.

Hampton report - responding to the challenge of streamlining inspection and regulatory functions and accommodating the requirements of new Consumer & Trading Standards Agency and Animal Health Agency.

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4.1

Conclusion

The Service Plan summarises the achievements of Regulatory Services in 2004-5 and sets out its objectives for 2005-6. The Plan shows the links to key corporate aims and objectives. It also highlights new initiatives to improve public health, help responsible traders, protect the public from fraud, promote community safety and reduce crime.

Recommendation(s)

That the Policy and Resources Scrutiny and Select Committee note the major changes affecting Regulatory Services and approve the Service Plan at Appendix 1.