Consumers in Devon will have access to a new Consumer Advice Line from August thanks to a regional initiative supported by Devon County Council.

Together with 13 other local authorities in the south west, the County Council's Trading Standards Service has successfully bid for Department of Trade and Industry funding to set up a regional contact centre offering consumer advice as part of a new national helpline network.

Consumers across the south west will be able to get advice using a single local rate telephone number. The service will have longer opening hours, including Saturday mornings, and people will be also be able to access the service by email.

County Councillor Stuart Hughes, Executive Member for Community Safety, said: 'This is great news for consumers in Devon who will be among the first in the UK to benefit from this new advice helpline. It will complement the existing consumer advice service provided by the County Council's Trading Standards Service, which will continue to deal with more complex enquiries. The south west database of complaints will also provide the Trading Standards Services with a comprehensive pattern of complaint trends in the region, providing vital intelligence for our enforcement work '.

Until the new helpline comes into operation, people should continue to use the County Council's consumer advice helpline on 01392 382818.

Devon businesses, whose queries on consumer law and other trading standards legislation will continue to be dealt with by Devon County Council's Trading Standards Service, should call 01392 381381.

Alternatively, advice and information can currently be obtained on a range of consumer issues on the Trading Standards website at www.devon.gov.uk/tradingstandards

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