Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Referees
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Andy Shimmen

Bournemouth,Dorset

Summary

Experienced Trading Standards Officer with nearly 40 years in consumer protection services, managing caseloads of complaints, investigations and prosecutions and delivering projects with minimal supervision.


Proven ability to communicate complex issues effectively, enhancing public or other stakeholder awareness within the consumer protection environment. Extensive history of delivering projects or investigations on time or within statutory frameworks.


Diligent and proactive, with a robust background in regulatory compliance and consumer protection, combined with strong analytical and communication skills. Demonstrable ability to navigate a complex, sometimes challenging, regulatory framework and engage effectively with colleagues, external partners, elected members, the media, etc.


Results-driven professional with a keen eye for detail and a lifelong commitment to consumer protection and safeguarding the interests of the public and legitimate businesses. Strong investigative and compliance skills, coupled with excellent communication and problem-solving abilities.


A depth of experience and knowledge around consumer protection with strong analytical, project management, communication and problem-solving skills in particular.


Keen to contribute in the wider format offered by NTS to the field of consumer protection, fair trading practices, intelligence development, etc. in the Programme Officer role.

Overview

40
40
years of professional experience

Work history

Trading Standards Officer

BCP Council (formerly The Borough of Poole)
, Dorset
09.1999 - 09.2025
  • Based within Housing & Public Protection
  • Achievements include the implementation and ongoing management of the “Buy With Confidence” (BWC) approved trader scheme
  • Conducting inspections of business premises to ensure legal compliance on a routine basis or as part of regional projects, sampling exercises, tobacco control purposes, etc.
  • Acting as a point of liaison and providing guidance on consumer protection and food safety issues for national and international businesses operating in Poole
  • Preparing reports for management use, Members' consideration, legal process
  • Preparing media releases and responses
  • Maintaining a caseload of complaint generated/home authority-referred investigations and more recently carrying out financial investigations with a view to Proceeds of Crime recovery, etc.
  • Extensive experience dealing with longer term enquiries and delivering large scale investigations, particularly involving allegations of fraud
  • Compiled evidence for use in courts, supported successful prosecutions against rogue traders and similar
  • Managed caseload efficiently; ensured timely completion of investigations.
  • Service lead for several subject areas including representing BCP TS regionally/nationally around scams, doorstep crime, legal process, BWC, etc.

Team Leader (Trading Standards Complaints Team)

London Borough of Redbridge
03.1992 - 09.1999
  • I concluded this period of my career as a Team Leader (Principal Officer)
  • I maintained a personal caseload whilst leading a successful team investigating trading standards and food complaints made by the public in relation to goods and services
  • One key role was to prioritise tasks according to urgency and importance, triaging service demands and managing/reviewing the team members workloads
  • I continued to develop a specialism in Fair Trading law and often represented the service regionally in this regard.
  • Heavily involved in the implementation of an ISO 9001 accredited quality management system throughout the service.
  • Attained additional Food Standards paper to the Diploma in Consumer Affairs
  • Day to day management responsibility for 6 others team members

Enforcement Officer

LB Barking & Dagenham
07.1988 - 03.1992
  • Carried out the full range of trading standards functions with minimal supervision (weights & measures excepted)
  • Developed skills around longer term, project based, work and proactive consumer education/awareness initiatives
  • Concluded initial studies and attained Diploma in Consumer Affairs (Fair Trading, Safety, Consumer Credit)

Consumer Protection Officer

LB Southwark
11.1987 - 07.1988
  • Continued to support more experienced/qualified officers
  • Developed my own, more in depth, caseload of trading standards complaints, investigations and routine inspections
  • Reviewed business practices for compliance with consumer protection laws and provided regulatory advice on a Home Authority basis

Trading Standards Assistant

LB Newham
03.1986 - 11.1987
  • Commenced my career in a traditional Trading Standards Assistant role
  • Accompanying and assisting experienced officers in their duties including routine inspections to retailers, factories, etc., seizures of non-compliant goods, interviewing offenders or complainants
  • Gained essential experience and a good grounding in the work of TS and developed my own caseload of lower priority compliance breaches
  • Started studies for Diploma in Consumer Affairs

Education

The Diploma in Consumer Affairs - Consumer Safety, Fair Trading, Consumer Credit

Trading Standards Institute
09.1988 -

The Diploma in Consumer Affairs - Food Standards law

Trading Standards Institute
/1997 -

Level 1&2 - French Language Skills

National Open College Network
09.2002 - 06.2007

Quality Assurance Lead Auditor -

Gilbert Associates (Europe) Ltd
08.1992 -

HNC - Business

Havering College of Further and Higher Education
Essex
09.1994 - 05.1996

Accredited Financial Investigator -

National Crime Agency
East Ham, London
09.1979 - 03.1986

Accredited Financial Investigator -

National Crime Agency
/2019 -

Skills

  • Team orientated
  • Strong history of collaborative working and delivering projects
  • Highly skilled, knowledgeable investigator, very competent in investigation procedures, legal analysis and working to deadlines
  • Experienced in witness & offender interviews, incl ABE videos
  • Excellent presentation of complex information, including for legal process, senior management/member purposes
  • Keen eye for detail
  • Policy review and development experience
  • Strong administrator
  • Good knowledge of most Microsoft Office products - Word and Excel to intermediate level
  • Good interpersonal skills and a confident communicator in a wide range of environments

Referees

  • Ms Sophie Sajic, BCP Council, Head of Public Protection, sophie.sajic@bcpcouncil.gov.uk, 01202093493
  • Mr Peter Haikin, NTS Estate and Letting Agency Team Op Jigsaw Lead Officer (London), peter.haikin@powys.gov.uk, 07929 090162


Affiliations

  • Away from work I am a keen runner and enjoy cinema, all sports and kayaking in my spare time.

Timeline

Level 1&2 - French Language Skills

National Open College Network
09.2002 - 06.2007

Trading Standards Officer

BCP Council (formerly The Borough of Poole)
09.1999 - 09.2025

HNC - Business

Havering College of Further and Higher Education
09.1994 - 05.1996

Quality Assurance Lead Auditor -

Gilbert Associates (Europe) Ltd
08.1992 -

Team Leader (Trading Standards Complaints Team)

London Borough of Redbridge
03.1992 - 09.1999

The Diploma in Consumer Affairs - Consumer Safety, Fair Trading, Consumer Credit

Trading Standards Institute
09.1988 -

Enforcement Officer

LB Barking & Dagenham
07.1988 - 03.1992

Consumer Protection Officer

LB Southwark
11.1987 - 07.1988

Trading Standards Assistant

LB Newham
03.1986 - 11.1987

Accredited Financial Investigator -

National Crime Agency
09.1979 - 03.1986

The Diploma in Consumer Affairs - Food Standards law

Trading Standards Institute
/1997 -

Accredited Financial Investigator -

National Crime Agency
/2019 -

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