Looking after consumers half heartedly

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 22nd Sep 2007

Tory controlled Hertfordshire County Council has one of the lowest spends on Trading Standards in the region. It's one of the few authorities which currently doesn't provide 'Assisted Advice Intervention' (where the service intervenes on behalf of vulnerable residents) yet does provide support for people who live outside of the County. This, however, will soon change.

Cllr Allan Witherick, the Liberal Democrat who first raised the concerns with regards to Trading Standards support for vulnerable people, said:

"It's only because Liberal Democrats have persistently raised the issue that we have finally seen a change which will help support some of our most vulnerable residents instead of helping people outside the County who should have been using their own local services.

I am glad to see the Tory Council listen and take a step forward by looking after our own residents and tax payers first for a change. Knowing that Trading Standards will provide support and help intervene for vulnerable people should help send a clear message out to fraudsters and con-artists - Watch out!

My one concern though is whether it is too little too late and why the Tories were having us in effect subsidise other areas in the first place. "