Council’s Money Wise scheme is ‘best in show’

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Trading Standards team has beaten competition from across the UK to be named Best Local Authority Exhibitor at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute National conference.

The award was voted for by the President of the Institute, Baroness Christine Crawley, and Chair Mark McGinty, who commended the team for their ‘innovative and engaging’ financial education website, Money Wise (Synnwyr Arian).

The team travelled to the Bournemouth conference to showcase the web-based resource designed by the council’s Trading Standards and education department to help people, in particular children and young families, to understand the concept of money – where it comes from and how to save and spend wisely.

Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said: “It was the first time we have exhibited at the national conference, and to be named best local authority exhibitor was a real achievement. We are proud of the Money Wise programme which has been developed by our own staff, and even more so that it has received such a positive reaction on a national level.

“Hopefully this is the first step in seeing it rolled out in other local authority areas, which could generate income for us to invest in more innovative schemes.

“I’d like to thank the team who travelled to Bournemouth and congratulate them on their successes.”

Money Wise covers a number of themes including budgeting and spending wisely – realising the difference between wants and needs; borrowing money and the associated risks; employment and education – earning money, paying Income Tax and understanding wages and payslips; and consumer rights.

The website is currently available to primary schools in the county and is used to complement National Curriculum studies. Trials are also taking place in other community settings, including family centre and youth groups.

Thousands of children have already completed the programme, during its development and trial phase, and since its official launch at last summer’s National Eisteddfod in Llanelli.

Some of those, including pupils and staff at Ysgol Llechyfedach and Ysgol Maes Y Morfa, feature in a video which explains the programme.

For further information, email moneywise@carmarthenshire.gov.uk.

Pic caption: Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board member for Public Protection and Trading Standards Officer Heidi Neil, accept the best local authority exhibitor award from a representative of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.