Questions for Kent Trading Standards:
- What is the Hotline number for Kent
Trading Standards?
- 0300 5552222 or 08454 040506 for
Consumer Direct
- What if a persons wanted to refuse
to pay a loan shark?
- First contact Kent Trading Standards
before refusing to pay to ensure you are protected and the loan
shark will be taken out of the equation.
- What is the difference between debt
recovery agents and loan sharks?
- Debt recovery agencies are licensed
but can be investigated if they operate outside the
parameters.
- What groups to loan sharks usually
target?
- Anyone who cannot get a bank loan is
potentially targeted usually because they need money for bringing
up children. Loans from loan sharks are
not necessarily drug related.
- Are there e-mails warning about
rogue traders which may be operating in the area?
- Trading Standards sends alerts to
Parish Councils.
- Mystery shoppers which are being
sent in to shops to spot check on whether sales were being made to
underage people. Is this being done
because Trading Standards may thing the retailers are smart?
- Replicating reality is a problem and
Trading Standards are here to support people.
- Fireworks are being set off more
frequently and appear louder than they ever have been. Are there controls for this?
- The supply limit has been
reduced. The loudest ones should only
be available for organised events,
- 16 – 17 year olds often pester
other customers to purchase alcohol for them.
- These are proxy sales and are a
police matter. If a shop owner suspects
that someone is purchasing alcohol for anyone underage and allows
the purchase to go ahead, then the owner is committing and offence
the same as the person purchasing the alcohol.
- It is legal to smoke at the age of
16 yet is illegal to purchase tobacco before the age of 18.
- It is not illegal to purchase
tobacco on behalf of someone under the age of 18.
- What about the purchase of lottery
tickets for underage people?
A. Trading Standards do prioritise on alcohol and
solvent sales to the underages.
Questions to
Dartford East Neighbourhood Policing Team:
- There has been a spate of burglaries
in the area recently?
- Yes, these occurred on the
estate. The thief has been caught and
things are now quiet at the moment.
- PACT meetings are important.
Are people not attending?
- Some are well attended but some are
at all well advertised,
Questions for Kent
County Council Wardens:
- Has Sutton Hone got a Community
Warden?
- Areas have been highlighted for
Community Wardens.
- Who should be contacted to ask?
- Marilyn Howell – Head of
Operations
- If funding is strapped?
- Wish to hold on to our Community
Wardens and have expanded their areas.
Thirty temporary apprentices have been employed to assist.
- Please explain about the payback
scheme
- Community service is classed as a
payback scheme, called in to do bits and pieces in the area with
Kent Probation Trust. Suggestions can
be made on the website for which projects in your area need to be
done.
The Meeting closed at 8.40pm