The Trading Standards Joint Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Thursday 5 March 2026 was set to discuss the proposed fees and charges for the 2026-27 financial year and the operational work plan for the same period. The meeting's agenda also included the approval of minutes from the previous meeting and the scheduling of future meetings.

Fees and Charges Report 2026-27

The board was scheduled to consider a report detailing the proposed fees and charges for the Brent & Harrow Trading Standards Service for the 2026-27 financial year. This report outlined various categories of fees, including statutory fees set by legislation, RPI-linked fees, and discretionary fees. Specific areas covered included fees for explosive (firework) licenses, penalty fees for letting and property management breaches, and charges for Primary Authority partnerships. The report also detailed proposed fees for Weights and Measures equipment verification and calibration, registration for auction premises, and duties carried out at Wembley events. Additionally, it proposed an increase in the hourly fee for Financial Investigators offering services to other local authorities. The report aimed to ensure full cost recovery for each borough and maintain competitiveness with other local authorities offering similar services.

Work Plan Report 2026-27

A report was presented outlining the proposed work plan for the Brent & Harrow Trading Standards Service for the 2026-27 financial year. This plan detailed the key work streams and priority areas for the service, which aims to protect consumers, support responsible businesses, and ensure a fair, safe, and competitive marketplace. The priorities for the year were influenced by national assessments from the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and London Trading Standards (LTS), which identified areas such as doorstep crime, illicit tobacco, product safety, and e-commerce compliance as key concerns. The work plan also considered the corporate plans of both Brent and Harrow councils, aligning the service's activities with broader local authority objectives. The report included projected work volumes for both the Brent and Harrow teams, based on their respective staffing levels.

Date of Future Meetings

The board was asked to note the provisional schedule of meetings agreed between Brent and Harrow for the 2026-27 Municipal Year. These included meetings on Tuesday 30 June 2026, hosted by Harrow, and Tuesday 3 November 2026, hosted by Brent. A further meeting was provisionally scheduled for Thursday 4 March 2027, to be hosted by Harrow. These dates were subject to final confirmation by each respective borough.