Programme highlights
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A copy of the conference preview and programme is available here
Meet the Minister
Tuesday 15, June: 9.45am - 10.30am (Sidlaw Auditorium)
The new Consumer Minister Edward Davey will speak for about 15 minutes, followed by a question and answer session chaired by David Sanders, chairman of TSI. The meeting will end at 10.30 giving you time to move to the opening of conference and first main plenary.
Plenary sessions
Tuesday, 15 June: 11.00am – 12.30pm (Pentland Auditorium)
After the recession – a new economic order?
When Conference convenes it will be literally weeks after the General Election when the dust is settling and the shape of things to come becoming clearer.
Conference will spotlight the delivery challenges and opportunities for trading standards and partner regulatory services under a new Westminster Government. People, businesses, councils and communities are living and operating in a high risk economy with the possibility of a double dip recession and the need to re-build our economy.
If it is to be regionalisation, or some ‘third’ way, how do we grasp the initiative to design the future in delivering the services, support and impact required and demanded by the country.
Session facilitator: John Stapleton, Honorary Member TSI, TV Presenter and Journalist
Wednesday, 16 June: 11.00am – 12.30pm (Pentland Auditorium)
Turning up the heat on climate change
In the year since Conference debated climate change in Brighton we’ve had Copenhagen and more. Carbon footprint, energy cost, efficiency and scarcity, micro generation and home improvement are all impacting on trading standards across the UK.
Conference will take a ‘Whole House’ approach to the many elements that make up our role in reducing carbon emissions and waste, and the positive impact this can have on the nation’s welfare and financial savings. Front line trading standards is central to the success of government policy delivery in every way.
Consumer Direct receive thousands of complaints a year about builders, plumbers, electricians, decorators and other home improvement traders concerning sub-standard services. With funding overstretched, do we demand proper training and time to educate and enforce on Energy Proficiency Certificates or focus only on the high profile, big results agenda, dealing with these complaints through the education of businesses and consumer, backed by enforcement. And how do we deal with the issues of excess packaging, green fuel claims and the growing number of new businesses offering energy saving products and services.
Session facilitator: John Stapleton, Honorary Member TSI, TV Presenter and Journalist
Thursday, 17 June: 11.00am – 12.30pm (Pentland Auditorium)
The E – Challenge; Inclusion; Safety; Confidence
Trading standards have never fought shy of new challenges but the world of e-commerce is not only changing and evolving with extraordinary speed, it also poses huge problems of access, regulation and control.
Getting it right for the consumer and for society means making on-line a safe shopping environment for children and adults alike, taking out dangerous products, driving up consumer confidence and cross border sales, enforcing quality standards and ensuring on-line information is timely, right and comparable.
This Conference panel plans to be the launch pad for securing the sort of e commerce worlds that trading standards and our policy and political partners want to see if on-line shopping is to be the secure, safe and prosperous market that consumers and economies need.
Breakfast sessions
Wednesday, 16 June: 8.30am – 9.30am (Pentland Auditorium)
Underage sales and localisation
Every authority has its own issues around under age sales of tobacco, alcohol and knives, and young people are quick to change their approach to getting what they want when barriers are put in their way. Families, lives and communities are changing as a result.
Are the methods for dealing with this specific group of consumers universal, and adaptable? Can or does a top down approach work or do we need to stand up for localisation. We expect this session to involve delegates in a robust discussion of our role in both the education and repetitive test sales approach required to preventing young people from putting themselves in health and harm’s way.
Thursday, 17 June: 8.30am – 9.30am (Pentland Auditorium)
Eating our way to an early death
Salt, fat, sugar, double portions in two-for-one offers all present today’s consumer with an instantly gratifying and cheap diet that is potentially threatening to our lives through heart attacks, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis, to name just a few potential killers.
There is much to concern trading standards in our work to protect and advise the consumer. Is this about free choice, informed choice or reducing choice? We will discuss issues around achieving the outcomes that meet councils, communities and citizens’ targets and central government ambitions.
