Issue - meetings

ES 19061

The Food Safety Service Plan was a requirement of the FSA (Food Standards Agency).

Members were briefed that the ground gained in 2019 whereby the Council emerged from a red audit had been lost and LBB now had a backlog of cases to deal with. This was the same for all local authorities.

The FSA had drafted a two stage recovery plan that went to 2024. The Council’s plans for dealing with the backlog were outlined in the report. LBB’s plans exceeded the FSA requirements. It was hoped to address most of the backlog in the first year. The ability to deliver the recovery plan depended on the identified variables. The identified variables included the ability to recruit to the right posts, maintain staffing levels, and the availability of officers to work overtime.

The Assistant Director said that at the moment she was not seeking additional resources and the Team were trying to think outside of the box and develop new strategies.

The Chairman requested that the recovery plan be circulated to the Committee and applauded the setting of ambitious targets. The Assistant Director said that she had confidence in her Team to hit the targets and that new registrations were included in the plan.

The issue of the possible in house training of staff was raised. This was problematic as specialist certification was required from approved colleges. One of these colleges was Nescot and the training was long and expensive. Administrative staff were being encouraged to ‘triage’ where they could. Apprentices and graduates were being used to help when possible. London was vying for the same resources. 

The matter of pay was raised and a Member asked if Bromley was paying enough. The Assistant Director responded that terms and conditions were under review.

It was clarified by the Assistant Director that the recovery plan noted in section 3.8 of the report was the FSA Recovery Plan and not LBB’s Recovery Plan.

RESOLVED that the Food Safety Service Recovery Plan be noted.