Hosted at the London offices of Gowling WLG, the Regulatory Excellence Awards finals attracted a capacity audience to celebrate the outstanding work of organisations, individuals, and trade associations that have enhanced protections for consumers by making regulation work for them, while also supporting businesses to comply.

This year two new categories, Product Safety and Innovation and Technical, were added to Primary Authority and Better Business for All.

Welsh brewer SA Brain won the Innovation and Technical category for their automated system that makes allergen information easily accessible for guests so they can choose their food with confidence.

The Product Safety winner was a collaborative project in Northern Ireland (Environmental Health Consumer Protection (EHNI CP) Sub Group) which brought together the Environmental Health departments of 11 district councils, the Department for the Economy Trading Standards Service for NI and the General Dental Council to deliver a targeted social media campaign informing citizens on the health risks of unsafe tooth whitening products and services.

Wakefield Council and Wm Morrison Supermarkets won the Primary Authority category, having been one of the first partnerships in the country to take a National Inspection Strategy from an unexplored concept to a viable option for delivering risk-based regulation using business data, so enabling reprioritisation of local authority resources and supporting businesses in compliance and growth.

The Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence won the Better Business for All (BBfA) category. It is ensuring regulators and businesses change the way regulation is delivered and received by communicating the benefits the programme which brings regulatory bodies and business groups together to support local economies, and supports the aims of the government’s Industrial Strategy.

A Special Recognition Award was made to John Boulter, Head of Joint Protective Services at Hertfordshire County Council, for his leadership and outstanding contribution to BBfA.

OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell said: “Our judges found the entries to be very diverse in scope and of very high quality. They wanted to recognise the innovation and sheer hard work being done by regulatory teams in an increasingly complex and challenging world.

“All the finalists can be proud of what they have achieved, and we will ensure that their examples of best practice are shared; and prove inspirational to others.”

This year’s winners range from small Trading Standards teams to National Regulators and businesses. Details of the best entries will be shared in due course.

Primary Authority

Winner: Wakefield Council and Wm Morrison Supermarkets

Highly Commended: Business Advice and Support Partnership

Commended: Wine & Spirit Trade Association / Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence

Better Business for All

Winner: Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence

Highly Commended: New Anglia Compliance Partnership

Commended: BBfA Humber Partnership

Special Recognition: John Boulter

Product Safety

Winner: Environmental Health Consumer Protection Sub Group

Highly Commended: Hillingdon Ports team

Commended: Leicestershire Trading Standards

Innovation and Technical

Winner: SA Brain & Company Ltd

Highly Commended: Food Standards Agency Strategic Surveillance Team

Commended: Credas

Commended: Edinburgh Trading Standards

Local Authority of the Year

Cornwall Council

National Regulator of the Year

The Health and Safety Executive

Business of the Year

The Ladder Association

If you want to enter the Regulatory Excellence Awards 2020, or just to know more, please email opss.enquiries@beis.gov.uk

Check the transport companies and routes you can use to bring your pet cat, dog or ferret to England, Scotland or Wales.

The Environment Agency monitors water quality from May to September so you know how clean the water is when you swim or paddle.

Mark Mayston, an officer in the National Sampling and Collection team in East Anglia, who has worked for the Environment Agency for 16 years, covers part of the East Anglian coastline. His first stop to take a sample is in Felixstowe, Suffolk, then he travels onto Southwold, Lowestoft, and Gorleston, before finishing in Great Yarmouth.

He said:

I love sampling up and down this wind swept coastline. Around this time of year the beaches are usually busy and there’s always someone with a question to ask. I’m pleased to be able to tell them what I’m doing and happy that my work is making a difference to them and the many thousands who visit the seaside every year.

Officers have to ensure sure they are standing as closed to the designated sample point as possible and fill up a bottle with sea water. This is stored in a fridge in the officer’s van and is later taken to a laboratory where it undergoes bacteria analysis. A second sample is taken to measure the salt levels in the water.

They also note down supporting information, such as the number of bathers and beach users, if there is animal faeces and litter on the beach and the amount of seaweed present.

There are 4 water quality classifications Excellent, Good, Sufficient and Poor. These are set according to the level of bacteria in the water based on guidelines produced by the World Health Organisation to protect health. In 2018, 97.9% of bathing waters across the country met the tough standards. Results can be found at environmental data.

Beach users in Suffolk and Norfolk might be surprised to see Environment Agency staff stride into the sea in their waders, but they are testing water quality.