Budgeted Spending on Trading Standards

1. What was the total budgeted spending on Trading Standards in each of the last five fiscal years (April-April)?

2. How many complaints were made to Trading Standards in each of those five years - either via notifications from the public or other non-Trading Standards bodies?

3. How many of the above cases in (2) were investigated by Trading Standards in each of those five years?

4. How many cases resulted in referral for prosecutions or other corrective action (eg were not dismissed with no further action) in that time? And, additionally:

5. How many of the complaints in 2-4 involved potential Cancer Act (1939) violations, or concerns around claims to treat cancer?

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you. 

1. Please see table below.  Note the budget refers to the revenue budget. 

2. Please see table below.  Note the number of complaints refers to all complaints to Lincolnshire Trading Standards (termed ‘referrals’ and ‘notifications’) from consumer and partner agencies.   

3. Please see table below.  Note the number ‘investigated’ refers to those assessed by the duty officer and passed to one of the 4 Trading Standards Teams, this will include those referred to in question 4.   

4. Please see table below.  Note the number of prosecutions refers to the number of successful prosecutions at court that year.

5. Please see table below.