Here's a chance to influence the quality and range of consumer advice services in your area.
About 75% of the country is now covered by the relatively new development of "Consumer Support Networks". This initiative, which we mentioned briefly in the last issue, is funded by the DTI, and obliges the local consumer advice providers involved to make sure they know what their local consumers really want, and to develop plans to improve their services accordingly. This is the "setting-up" stage when you can influence what happens.
Perhaps the advice services in your area are not open when you want them to be open, perhaps they do not offer the kind of service you need. Perhaps there do not appear to be any at all, as is the case with the Editor's area where the Trading Standards Department is so stretched it cannot provide a speaker for a local event. Whatever your concern, let someone know! If your local CSN has not yet contacted you, contact them! Contact details of your nearest CSN can be obtained by telephoning 0207 840 7223 or by e-mail to CSN@lacots.org.uk, or on their website www.csn.connect.org.uk but remember, ask for the Consumer Support Network and not Consumer Support Tights.
"We want people to join the network and tell us what really matters to consumers in Wales. To start things of; we're asking people what they think about a range of issues such as transport, health and fitness. But we want people to use the discussion area to start their own conversations and exchange information about what's going on in their area. It's easy and quick to post a message or send an e-mail!"
If you live in Wales or the borders and feel strongly about consumer issues that affect you, your family and your local community such as:
you now have a new opportunity to make your views known. Consumer Network Wales is a major new initiative from the Welsh Consumer Council to enable consumers to share information and experiences on anything from product safety to recycling services to supermarket prices. At the heart of the network is a new discussion area within the Council's website at www.wales-consumer.org.uk where people can post their views on any consumer issue that concerns them. The discussion area is fully bilingual and messages can be posted in Welsh or English.
The discussion area will be the first fully bilingual discussion forum in Wales. All messages will be translated and posted up in both Welsh and English. Consumer Network Wales aims to recruit 300 members by the end of the year, rising to 1,000 over the next three years. There will be a regular e-mail newsletter for members of the network and the aim is to develop the capacity to conduct online surveys of its members' views on consumer issues later this year.
Non-Internet based consumer networks exist in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.
An interactive discussion area was set up recently by the Rail Passengers' Council at www.onthetrains.com
A UK-based network, using all the members of the combined Consumer Congress and NfCG, would be a unique and powerful force for consumer opinion. The important characteristic must be the ability to ask opinions and obtain reactions speedily by e-mail, so that they could be presented to government and service providers. At present we struggle to do this with antediluvian processes.
We are the only truly grass roots organisation, even though these roots are a bit thin. We have no Groups in Wales. Perhaps this is why this network has sprung up there. Such an organisation has great potential to wield power and influence and must, surely, be the direction in which this new organisation of ours must go. It will be no great change for NfCG which, after all, exists to provide the national voice for Consumer Groups who are regional or local people. It has been talked about, now we must do it, and quickly, before someone else jumps into the vacuum.
For more information please contact:
Sheila Kurowska, Consumer Network Officer, on
029 2025 5454 (office)
029 2075 1682 (home) or
07932 773009 (mobile)
To join Consumer Network Wales e-mail network@walesconsumer.org.uk or write to the Welsh Consumer Council, FREEPOST SWC 4364, Cardiff CF24 OGZ or register instantly within their discussion area at www.wales-consumerorg.uk/forum/ or www.wales-consumerorg.uk/fforwm/ (Welsh language version).
Andrew Davies, the National Assembly's e-Minister, visited the Welsh Consumer Council in October to join Consumer Network Wales and ask the network's growing membership what they thought about IT and electronic communications in Wales. He pointed out that the National Assembly would launch its Information Age Strategic Framework for Wales in November and wanted to hear what people all over the country thought about Internet access, e-mail, mobile phone provision, interactive TV and the other new technologies that are changing all our lives. He said he was delighted to be able to use the new channel of communication offered by Consumer Network Wales to get in touch with local communities across the country, although with only just over 50 members when he visited, there were obviously areas where he was not able to reach communities using this new initiative.
back to menu
Click Logo to Return to
Main Magazine Index