Issue - meetings

Report ES19061

The Committee considered a report setting out the Council’s annual plan for effective enforcement of food safety legislation. The objective of the plan was to satisfy the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the intended enforcement and inspection regime ensured that food in the Borough was produced and sold under hygienic conditions, was without risk to health and was of the quality expected by consumers. The plan had been developed to reflect progress made against the Action Plan submitted to the FSA in September 2017 and to show the total resource available to the Council to deliver the service demands and review the outcomes of the service in the previous year.

In response to a question, the Lead Practitioner Food Safety Team, explained that following inspections, non-compliant businesses would be re-visited.  At this point improvement would usually be made. However, where sufficient improvement was not made, an enforcement notice may be issued, or in the case of a new business, training provided.  Any action that was taken would depend on the history of the premises.  In extreme cases, where there was an imminent threat to health, the premises could be shut down.  Members noted that a progressive approach was taken to premises that repeatedly failed to meet the required standards, involving non-court cautions, seizure of unsafe food, and closure of the premises.

The Lead Practitioner food Safety Team confirmed that premises were encouraged to display their rating but display of the rating was not a mandatory legal requirement.  Members noted that the FSA website displayed ratings for all premises.

The Committee noted that there was a requirement to visit new premises within 21 days, although these visits had to be prioritised by the Food Safety Team due to volumes. 

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder is recommended to:

1. Approve the Service Plan for the Food Safety Team;

2. Note the progress made against the resubmitted Action Plan - September 2017, agreed with the Food Standards Agency; and

3. Note that the ability to achieve targets is reliant on maintaining the staffing levels and the ability to recruit to the vacant food safety posts and that an early indication of any problems in this regard is provided to the Portfolio Holder and the PP&E PDS.