Street racing banned in the Black Country
Street racers beware!
Three more street racers have received suspended prison sentences with orders to pay court costs after breaching the Black Country-wide injunction in Sandwell.
Read the full news release here
Clampdown on illegal vape and tabacco items
As part of #ASBAwarenessWeek our officers along with Sandwell Council’s Trading Standards have seized around £100,000 of illegal items including a large haul off oversized vapes, chewing tobacco, cannabis sweets and illicit medical products.
Read the full press release here
Combatting Underage Knife Sales
As part of the Knife Angel initiative and Operation Sceptre, Sandwell Council’s Trading Standards team, in collaboration with West Midlands Police, conducted undercover test purchasing operations last month to determine whether local retailers were complying with laws prohibiting the sales of knives to underage people.
During these operations, 15-year-old volunteers attempted to purchase knives and other bladed items.
Alarming results revealed that nine out of ten shops failed to ask the young volunteers for identification, allowing the illegal sales of kitchen knives, Stanley knives and other bladed items. These offending retailers have been formally warned by Trading Standards and the Police and will be subject to follow-up test purchases. Further breaches could result in criminal prosecution and substantial fines.
Read the full press release here
Health and Safety Action
A food business in Smethwick voluntarily closed following an inspection by a food safety officer. The officer found widespread evidence of mouse activity throughout the premises and poor cleaning and was satisfied that the conditions present an imminent risk of injury to health. The business closed to carry out pest proofing and a pest treatment for mice, along with a deep clean. The business was allowed to reopen a few days later once the officer was satisfied that the work to remove the imminent risk had been removed.
A further food business in Smethwick was asked to close immediately, following an inspection by a food safety officer. The officer found a number of mouse droppings on packed and tinned food, also on sheves and underneath display units. The shop also sold open food such as fruit and vegetables and officers were satisfied that the conditions presented an imminent risk of contamination to food. The business owner subsequently carried out significant cleaning and disinfection and a pest control treatment for mice, to ensure the premises was free of mice. The business has since been allowed to reopen following the deep clean.
New Policy Consultation
Sandwell Council is consulting on a proposed Code of Conduct for the Display of Goods and Advertising Boards on the Adopted Footway.
Concerns about businesses displaying goods on the footpath outside shop fronts and in some cases along kerbside opposite shops have been long standing as these shop front displays can narrow footways for pedestrians and obscure sight lines, with potential safety hazard for vulnerable people with sight impairments or wheelchairs user.
The proposed code of conduct aims to take a staged approach to dealing with items placed on the adopted footway. By taking this approach, the council wants to ensure the free passage for Sandwell pedestrians along footpaths and the highway and to seek an improvement in the visual street environment. The code will enable the council to address issues caused by obstructions fairly and consistently.
The consultation opened on Thursday 26 September and will run until Wednesday 11 December 2024. Details of the proposed code of conduct and the consultation are available on our Consultation Hub. Alternatively, you can send email us at PPP_team@sandwell.gov.uk or send your comments by post to Public Protection Team, Sandwell Council House, PO Box 2374, Oldbury, B69 3DE.