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Enforcement policy
Public Protection
What we do
Whether you are a local resident, a visitor or run a business in Wiltshire the Public Protection Service is committed to protecting your health, safety and environment, including the air you breathe, the products you buy and your safety in the work place. We are committed to providing you with an efficient, courteous and helpful service.
We work with residents and businesses to bring about behavioural change through education and advisory means, but where necessary and in line with our enforcement policy, we use our legislative powers to ensure compliance. Most of our work is required by statute, and is intelligence led and we work jointly with many partners, both from within and outside the council, to maximise efficiency and to bring about shared outcomes and positive impacts for Wiltshire.
Some advice and services we provide are chargeable, and we will provide specific information in these cases.
We help people and businesses with:
Environment Control and Protection - noise pollution, general pollution and air quality, statutory nuisance (for example smoke and smells), planning consultations, contaminated land, private water supplies and public health funerals.
Food & Safety - food hygiene rating scheme, food safety and standards, food and food premises complaints, food and water related illnesses and health and safety at work, including petroleum and fireworks licensing, body piercing and event safety.
Licensing - alcohol sales, regulated entertainment, festivals and event safety advisory group, gambling (including betting shops, bingo, gaming machines & lotteries), animal licensing (dangerous wild animals, zoos, pet sales, hiring out of horses, animal boarding including home boarding, catteries and kennels, dog crèche's, breeding premises, and keeping or training of animals for exhibition).
Pest Control - Residential and commercial treatments for rodents, wasps, fleas, bed bugs cockroaches, cluster flies and grey squirrels.
Trading Standards & Animal Health - rogue traders, counterfeit goods, product safety, weights and measures, underage sales, animal welfare and animal feed standards. Civil advice is provided by the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506 on behalf of Trading Standards.
Our aim is to deal swiftly and proportionately with all complaints and breaches of the law in accordance with our Enforcement Policy(PDF)[39KB](opens new window). This includes working to resolve issues quickly using a variety of approaches ranging from support and mediation to enforcement action when necessary.
If you contact the team we will endeavour to respond within two working days, but this may take up to five working days in some cases.
The council's website (www.wiltshire.gov.uk) provides a lot of information with links to our services from the front page.
You can expect:
an efficient and professional service
a response to an initial enquiry or request within five working days
an initial response to emergency requests within 24 hours e.g. serious health and safety accidents or infectious disease outbreaks
an explanation of the process and what we may or may not be able to do to help so you know what to expect
to be informed about actions that will be taken and by whom
contact details of other agencies if the issue is not the responsibility of Wiltshire Council
a named contact and contact details if you have questions or concerns about our service
When you contact us:
provide your name, postal address, contact phone number and email (if you have one).
give us a full description of your concerns (including names and contact details)
give us any additional information that we ask for to help us understand when and what issues you are experiencing, e.g. completed log sheets for noise complaints
make sure that all the information you provide is complete and accurate
tell us if you have special needs or reasonable adjustments that may affect the service we offer you
tell us if you need an interpreter to use our services
treat our staff politely and with respect
We monitor and support compliance through inspections, sampling visits, test purchases, advisory visits and complaint investigations. These visits will always be based on an assessment of risk.
We carry out both unannounced and pre-arranged visits. When we visit you our officers will:
explain the reason and purpose of the visit
carry their identification card at all times, and present it on request
exercise discretion in front of your customers and staff
work with you and your business to find the best way for you to achieve compliance
provide advice to support you in meeting your statutory obligations if required
provide a written summary of advice where appropriate
Where we identify any failure to meet legal obligations, we will respond proportionately, taking account of the circumstances, in line with our Enforcement Policy.
Where we require action to be taken to remedy any failings we will:
explain the nature of the non-compliance
discuss what is required to achieve compliance, taking into account your circumstances
clearly explain any advice, actions required or decisions that we have taken
agree timescales that are acceptable to both you and us, in relation to any actions required
provide in writing details of how to appeal against any advice provided, actions required or decisions taken, including any statutory rights to appeal
explain what will happen next, including any timescales
keep in touch with you, where required, until the matter is resolved
There may be occasions where our officers are unable to answer your query or have taken all reasonable steps to investigate a complaint and discover that a solution does not lie within the procedures or legislation that we work with. If this is the case we will do our best to give customers advice on what they can do themselves or who else they can approach to help them.
Email: publicprotectionwest@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) Phone: 0300 456 0107 Address: Public protection, Wiltshire Council, County Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8JN. Face to face: To make a face to face appointment at your nearest council office call 0300 456 0107.
Information can be provided in different formats and we have access to translation and interpretation services if required.
When you contact us we will ask you for your name and contact details, including your email address. Any information you give us will be kept confidential unless you give us permission to share your details with others who are helping with your case or there is an operational reason why we need to do so. Personal data will be managed in accordance with Wiltshire Council's Data Protection Policy.
We are always willing to discuss the reasons why we have acted in a particular way or asked you to act in a particular way. However, if you wish to make a complaint about our service these are managed through the Corporate Complaints Policy which can be found on our Making a complaint page or by calling us on 01225 718 400.
