2023
December 2023
Poplar Avenue, Tividale
Rapid officers responded to a report of dumped waste in Poplar Avenue, Tividale. Name and address details were found amongst the dumped waste, which has led to a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice being issued.
Montague Road, Smethwick
Rapid officers responded to reports of a fly tip in Montague Road, Smethwick. Address details were discovered amongst the rubbish, which has led to a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice being issued, as the resident has admitted to dumping the waste.
Mason Street, West Bromwich
A resident of Mason Street, West Bromwich had work carried out on their home and paid someone £20 to remove the waste associated with these works. The waste was then fly tipped on green space adjacent to the Metro Line in Mason Street. The resident didn’t use or check that the person they used was a licensed waste carrier and could not provide the required paperwork; this has led to a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice being issued.
Sandwell sniffs out illegal goods with help from Cooper the sniffer dog
Council teams and West Midlands Police, supported by Cooper the sniffer dog carried out a raid at a shop in West Bromwich.
Cooper helped Trading Standards Officers to identify illegal goods around the premises, including an electro-magnetic operated concealment underneath the counter and two secret panels behind a false wall. In total over £10,000 worth of illegal vapes and tobacco were seized.
There was also intelligence that the energy supply to the property had been de-energised. National Grid was called out and it was established that the premises have not been paying for electricity. The power supply to the premises was immediately cut off.
Read the full news release about the raid in West Bromwich
November 2023
Perrot Street, Smethwick
A resident paid £40 to a man with a van who was advertising on Facebook to remove domestic waste bags from their property. Bags were fly tipped on Perrot Street, Smethwick. Following an investigation by the Environmental Enforcement Team, the resident was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £300 for failing in their Household Waste Duty of Care.
Messenger Road, Smethwick
A male fly tipped commercial waste from a family run business from Birmingham on Messenger Road, Smethwick. The offender had placed the business waste next to a street litter bin and therefore committed an offence of fly tipping. Following an investigation by the Environmental Enforcement Team, a Fixed Penalty Notice to the value of £400 was issued.
Buttress Way, Smethwick
A local resident paid an unlicensed waste carrier £120 to take their household rubbish from their property who subsequently fly tipped the waste within Buttress Way, Smethwick. Following an investigation by the council’s Environmental Enforcement team, the resident was issued with a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice for failing in their waste household duty of care.
The Waste Household Duty of Care refers to the legal responsibility individuals must properly manage and dispose of their household waste. This includes ensuring that waste is handled, transported, and disposed of in an environmentally friendly and lawful manner.
October 2023
Safer 6 Campaign
During Safer 6, we carried out 2 underage sales test purchasing operations for fireworks. We visited 5 shops, 2 of the shops sold fireworks to our 16-year-old volunteer without asking their age or for identification. This is the second occasion that both shops have sold a firework to an underage volunteer. They will now be the subject of a criminal investigation.
Sandwell Trading Standards, Licensing and West Midlands Police carried out a day of action in West Bromwich for illegal vapes. They visited two shops and seized more than £40,000 worth of illegal vapes and over 170 potentially unsafe travel adaptors.
In Tipton, more than £20,000 worth of illegal vapes, and tobacco were seized from two shops in a joint operation by Sandwell Council and Sandwell Police.
Read more about the illegal vapes and tobacco seized in this raid by the council and police
See anything Suspicious?
What we found ...
Underage Sales
Trading Standards have been carrying out undercover test purchases and 50% of shops sold an age restricted product to our young volunteers. Most offending businesses have been issued with a written warning, while others are facing criminal prosecution and/or a licensing review where their alcohol licence could be suspended for up to three months or even revoked.
Food Hygiene Inspections Enforcement Action
Kashmir Grill has been fined £1800 under totality sentencing, £180 victim surcharge and ordered to pay Council legal costs of £2598.
A Cradley Heath Business has been served a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition notice due to an imminent risk of injury to health due to rat activity at the business. The business is closed until imminent risk removed; graduated enforcement started.
A catering establishment in Smethwick voluntary closure due to imminent risk of injury to health from cockroaches. Business allowed to reopen once imminent risk removed and graduated enforcement action taking place.
A catering establishment in Smethwick voluntary closure due to imminent risk of injury to health from cockroaches. Business allowed to reopen once imminent risk removed and graduated enforcement action taking place.
A Catering establishment in West Bromwich voluntarily closed due to poor cleaning. Business allowed to reopen once deep clean undertaken and graduated enforcement action taking place.
Health and Safety Action
Oldbury – investigated a dangerous occurrence due to a chemical release at Swim!, Oldbury. Officers investigated and provided health and safety advice to the business.
West Bromwich – An unguarded bandsaw was found during an inspection of a butchers. A Prohibition Notice has been served requiring a guard to be fitted over the blade.
A Tipton Catering business was served a Prohibition notice to stop the use of a tandoor which was found without a safe method of lighting. A new ignition switch was fitted, and the business was allowed to use the tandoor again.
September 2023
Successful Prosecution of Rogue Trader
A rogue trader was prosecuted by Sandwell Trading Standards after leaving customers thousands of pounds out of pocket for failing to carry out the work he promised. The trader sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment for the offences, suspended for 12 months; the individual must also attend various courses in relation to gambling, drinking and money management and undertake 200 hours community work. In addition, an order was made to pay compensation to all 5 victims for the full amounts of £5,500. Photo from one of the victims, a few months after "weed free" solution work for their artificial grass and slabs was carried out.
