Public Protection Charter
The aim of this Charter is to specify comprehensively the standards which the Public Protection Department is striving to achieve. All areas of our service have particular standards applied to them, and you can expect us to meet those standards. This is in addition to your right to expect us to be courteous and efficient at all times.
Our aims are summarised in the Department’s mission statement:-
It is the aim of the Public Protection Department to improve the health, safety, welfare and consumer interests of the County Borough’s residents, visitors and business community and to protect and improve the quality of our environment.
To help us achieve this we:-
♦work within the legal framework and apply the law fairly
♦make the service accessible
♦remain responsive to customer needs
♦deal with customers with honesty and integrity
♦work in partnership with groups which represent our customers
♦use the resources available to the maximum benefit of our customers
♦train and develop our staff to ensure their effectiveness
♦treat our staff and customers equally regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, marital status, disability or age.
A Welsh language version of this Charter is available by contacting the Department at the address given on page 2.
Your Views are Important to us
As well as responding to specific complaints, we also aim continually to provide services in line with your needs and expectations. To achieve this we need feedback from you, the customer, on how we are doing and whether we are keeping you properly informed about your enquiry or request for service. Please help us by filling in a customer satisfaction survey form which we send to a sample of customers, or use the comments slip at the back of this booklet.
Our Targets
We promise to start dealing with urgent matters on either the day that you report them to us or the next working day. On other matters we will aim to start investigating your complaint within three working days.
If you write to us we will generally reply to you with a full answer within 10 working days. In some circumstances we may not be able to provide you with a full answer within 10 working days because of the nature of the matter under investigation. In these cases we will give you as much information as we can in 10 days and let you have a full reply as soon as possible thereafter.
When you telephone we aim to answer within 10 seconds.
Contacting the Department
The Public Protection Department is located at:-
Crown Buildings
Chester Street
Wrexham
LL13 8ZE
There are helpful receptionists on the ground floor. The office is open to personal callers between 8.45 am and 5.15 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45 am and 4.45 pm Friday. Alternatively you can telephone, fax or e-mail the Department on the following numbers:-
Telephone: (01978) 292040
Fax: (01978) 297098
E-Mail:
Your Officers
Andy Lewis
Chief Public Protection Officer
(01978) 297005
e-mail:-
David Thomas
Environmental Health Manager
(01978) 297010
e-mail:-
Marc Williams
Senior Environmental Health Officer (Housing and Public Health)
(01978) 297011
e-mail:-
Neil Underwood
Senior Environmental Health Officer (Food Safety)
(01978) 297020
e-mail:-
Graham Williams
Senior Environmental Health Officer (Health and Safety and Licensing)
(01978) 297029
e-mail:-
Toni Slater
Senior Environmental Health Officer (Pollution)
(01978) 297038
e-mail:-
Michael Dean
Trading Standards Manager
(01978) 296066
e-mail:-
Kevin Jones
Senior Trading Standards Officer (Commerce)
(01978) 296070
e-mail:-
Peter Brown
Senior Trading Standards Officer (Fair Trading)
(01978) 296062
e-mail:-
How we are Organised
The Public Protection Department covers a wide range of functions affecting residential and commercial activities in the Borough.
We try to offer our services in a way which is convenient to our customers. This includes being flexible in arranging times to see customers, offering appointment times when necessary and appropriate and being prepared to visit customers in their homes or at their place of business.
The Department is divided into specialist teams which focus on specific environmental health or trading standards issues affecting the residents and businesses within the Borough.
A Senior Officer is responsible for each of these teams.
TeamMain Areas of ResponsibilityTeam Manager
Environmental Health
Housing andPrivate Housing RegulationMarc Williams
Public Healthimprovement of privately
rented and Housing Association
housing
fire protection, management and
facilities in multi-occupied
houses
nuisance from or within houses,
including drainage
bring empty houses into use
pest control and dog warden
private water supplies
drinking water sampling
Food SafetyFood and Food PremisesNeil Underwood
food premises inspections
food sampling
food hygiene training
investigation of infectious
diseases
complaints/enquiries
registration, licensing or
approval of food premises,
where necessary
Health and SafetyHealth and Safety at WorkGraham Williams
and Licensinginspections, complaints and
advice
accident investigations
complaints/enquiries regarding
asbestos
Licensing
issues licences
investigating complaints
carry out ‘during performance’
inspections for entertainment
venues
give advice to businesses
private hire and hackney
carriage licensing
PollutionEnvironmental InitiativesToni Slater
contaminated land
air quality monitoring
authorisation of industrial
processes
Noise and Complaints
noise complaints from
commercial premises
accumulations on land and
commercial premises
air pollution (nuisance from
bonfires)
Trading Standards
Commerceinspections at non retail/Kevin Jones
commercial/farm and
agricultural premises
business advice on trading
standards legislation
weights and measures –
including calibration laboratory
petroleum licensing
fireworks and general product
safety
animal health and welfare –
including dealing with notifiable
diseases and animal feeding stuffs
food composition and labelling
road traffic overloading
e-commerce investigations
complaints and home authority
investigations
Fair Tradingmisdescription of goods andPeter Brown
services
misleading prices
consumer safety, consumer
credit, counterfeit goods
sale of age restricted products
consumer advice service
Your Charter
Noise from Premises
What we do:-
Deal with a wide range of noise problems from residential, commercial and industrial premises, and noise in the street. Examples include loud music, barking dogs, intruder and car alarms, and construction site noise. The Department can not take action in respect of aircraft, road traffic and railway noise.
If your complaint is about an intruder alarm or car alarm we will respond to the matter as soon as possible and always on the same day that you make your complaint.
For all other complaints concerning noise we will respond to the matter within three working days of your complaining. The investigating officer will also make contact with you within this time wherever possible.
Pollution Matters
What we do:
Investigate complaints about rubbish, bonfires or smells and initiate the necessary action. Monitor air and water quality. Authorise certain industrial processes under the Environmental Protection Act.
We will aim to respond to complaints about bonfires, dust and most fumes on the same day that you make a complaint.
In all other matters concerning pollution, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint wherever possible. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time.
Health and Safety
What we do:
Inspections of business premises such as offices, shops and warehouses to ensure conditions are satisfactory and safe. Investigation of accidents at work which involve either staff or members of the public. Advice and education on health and safety requirements for the owners of businesses in the Borough and their staff.
We will investigate all complaints relating to health and safety and inform you of the result of our investigations.
Complaints about matters which pose an imminent threat to a person’s health or safety will have action initiated the same day.
In all other matters concerning health and safety, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint wherever possible. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time.
We will review all notified accidents with two days of receipt of notification. All accidents resulting in death or major injury and all dangerous occurrences will have a site visit on the day of notification.
Licensing
What we do:
We issue licenses and registrations for a wide range of functions such as:- public entertainments, special treatments, night cafes, pet shops, horse riding establishments, zoos, amusement arcades and the sale of fireworks, private hire and hackney carriages.
Premises are regularly inspected to ensure that all conditions attached to the license or registration are being met.
We investigate all complaints including those concerning premises illegally trading without a license.
We will give advice and assistance to businesses, especially those seeking a new license or registration.
Officers will carry out regular inspections, during performance, in places of public entertainment, the number being dependent on the type of premises and potential risk.
Complaints concerning licensing will have their investigation started within three working days of you making a complaint. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time wherever possible.
Trading Standards
What we do:
This team is responsible for the enforcement of wide ranging consumer legislation including the Weights and Measures Act, the Trade Descriptions Act, the Consumer Protection Act, the Consumer Credit Act and many others. The group operates by carrying out inspections of trade premises and responds to complaints from the public. It also offers advice and assistance to businesses within the Borough and maintains close liaison with those businesses for which it acts as “home authority”.
Complaints relating to aspects of safety which pose an imminent threat will have action initiated the same day.
In all other matters concerning trading standards, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint wherever possible. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time.
At least 90% of appointments for certification of weighing and measuring equipment will be for the day requested.
Food and Food Premises
What we do:
Investigation of complaints about food safety, hygiene of food premises or labelling of food. Inspections of all types of food premises to ensure satisfactory food safety and food labelling standards. Education and training of food handlers and advice to persons setting up a food business.
We work with local employers, head offices of national or regional companies based in Wrexham and other groups representing consumers and businesses to build up business confidence. We pass on technical information, especially about the practicalities of implementing new legislation.
Where we take samples of food for analysis, we will provide you with a copy of the results and give advice on any improvements which are required.
You can contact the Department about matters relating to food or food premises by writing to us or by telephoning 01978 292040 or by e-mail.
We will carry out a programme of inspecting food premises according to the degree of potential risk
Complaints about matters which pose an imminent threat to public health will have action initiated the same day.
In all other matters concerning food or food premises, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint wherever possible. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time.
Infectious Diseases
What we do:
Diseases such as food poisoning and food bourne illnesses are notified to us by the Area Health Authority so that work can be done in controlling and preventing the spread of the disease.
A same day response will be initiated to outbreaks of E-coli, para-typhoid, typhoid fever and infectious diseases in vulnerable groups.
When it is necessary for action to be taken it will be initiated within one working day of notification for all other diseases.
Housing Conditions
What we do:
Investigate complaints from non-council tenants about repairs and other problems in the properties in which they live. For example leaking roofs, dampness, disconnection of water, gas or electricity, lack of toilets, bath or cooking facilities, overcrowding or inadequate means of escape in case of fire.
Take action to remedy any of the above matters, using the most appropriate means. This might include information, contact with the landlord to give advice or service of a legal notice. If the landlord refuses to carry out the necessary works, the Council might carry out the works themselves, or prosecute the landlord, or both.
Complaints which relate to dangerous electrical installations or to the water, gas or electricity being cut off will have action initiated within one working day.
In all other matters concerning housing conditions, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint wherever possible. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time.
Drainage Problems
What we do:
We will investigate blockages and defects in private sewers and take enforcement action to remedy the problem. The majority of sewers are public, meaning that they are either pre-1937 sewers and serve two or more premises or have otherwise been adopted by the sewerage undertaker. In these cases Welsh Water are responsible and can be contacted on their customer service help-line 0800 0855935 (24 hours).
In the case of serious drainage problems we will respond on the same day.
In all other matters concerning drainage, the investigation will be started within three working days of you making a complaint. You will be contacted by the investigating officer within this time wherever possible.
Pest Control
What we do:
The Department carries out treatments for most types of rodent or insect infestations. A charge is made for treatments except where you are over 60 and on a benefit. Treatment for rats, mice, cockroaches, fleas and bed bugs in domestic premises are free.
For rats, mice, cockroaches, fleas and bed bugs we will endeavour to visit your property within two working days of your request and within four working days for all other pests.
Identification of Staff
All the Council’s staff hold identity cards which they are expected to display prominently. The cards give the name and Department of the cardholder, and incorporate a photograph. This card does not entitle the holder to gain access to your premises, an additional certificate of authorisation will be held by staff in appropriate cases.
If Council staff are calling at your home or place of business, you are entitled to ask to see their identity card so that you can satisfy yourself that they represent the Council. If this request is refused, then do not admit that person and immediately telephone the police.
You are entitled to receive a courteous and efficient service from Council staff. If you consider that you are not receiving such a service then note the name, position and Department of the member of staff concerned and write to the appropriate officer named at the end of the Charter with these details, and the circumstances giving rise to your complaint.
How to Complain if you are not Satisfied with the Service we Provide
Unfortunately there are occasions when things go wrong. As part of our commitment to high quality services we are making sure that we listen to your complaints.
We will
take all complaints seriously
deal with complaints as quickly as possible
send an acknowledgement letter within 5 working days if your complaint is complex and cannot be dealt with immediately
treat anyone complaining with respect
ensure that complaints are treated in confidence where appropriate
review the pattern of complaints and seek to improve areas where there are recurring problems.
If you have a complaint about the way you have been treated or about the service you have received which could not be resolved with the Officer concerned:
Step 1
You should telephone or write to the Service Manager responsible for the service in question. Generally this will be the Manager responsible for the specific matter which is of concern to you. Their telephone numbers are all given on page 3. Unless dealt with immediately you will receive an acknowledgement letter within 5 working days and a full written response within 20 working days.
Step 2
If after complaining to the Service Manager you are still dissatisfied you should write, outlining your dissatisfaction, to the Directorate Customer Liaison Officer at the address given on page 2. They will send you an acknowledgement letter within 5 working days and a full written response within 20 working days. In exceptional cases requiring lengthy investigation, we will keep you regularly informed of developments.
Step 3
If you are still dissatisfied having been through steps 1 and 2 you can contact the Central Liaison Officer. They will take an independent view of your complaint and make sure it is thoroughly investigated. They can be contacted at: