Issue - meetings

ES20351

A Member asked if the Food Safety Inspection Team was now operating at full strength. The Assistant Director for Public Protection answered and said that there were still some recruitment issues. The Council had been forced to use agency workers. An agency worker had been employed on a paid per inspection basis and had recently undertaken over 300 inspections in the last few months. A contractor was being appointed to deal with low to medium risk inspections. It was noted that the tenders had been evaluated and officers were now going through the appointment process.

The Chairman drew attention to what seemed to be a relatively low target with respect to the sale of age restricted products. It was explained that the new system was intelligence led.

The Chairman noted that the report referenced breaches of planning control and had been rag rated as ‘green’. The issue pointed out by the Chairman was that the report had simply been marked as ‘awaiting data’. The Chairman asked when this data would be available. The Assistant Director for Public Protection said that she would investigate this.

RESOLVED that the Public Protection and Enforcement Portfolio Holder be recommended to endorse the outcomes, aims and performance measures set out in the draft 2023/24 Public Protection and Enforcement Portfolio Plan.