A SCHEME set up to protect South Tynesiders from cowboys and conmen has celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Businesses and council chiefs marked 10 years of the borough’s Safetrader scheme at its annual seminar this week.
The initiative, established in 2003, lists more than 70 businesses with a known history of honest and reliable trading.
The annual event helps businesses keep up to date about issues such as changes to the law and health and safety requirements.
Tracey Dixon, South Tyneside Council’s lead member for area management and community safety, said: “When the scheme was created, we wanted to give our residents confidence when having work carried out on their properties.
“The aim was also to support those legitimate businesses wanting to make an honest living.
“Tackling rogue trading remains a high priority for our trading standards team, and it is even more important in these tough economic times that consumers are confident that they will get a good job done at a fair price.”
The scheme has proved popular with residents over the last decade. Its website attracted almost 25,000 hits last year.
The register lists businesses including builders, plumbers, electricians and roofers.
It is available at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/safetraders, or by calling 424 7887 and selecting option two.
Businesses operating in South Tyneside that wish to become members of the scheme can get details of how to join up on the website or by e-mailing trading.standards@southtyneside.gov.uk
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