Agenda item

Report ES17071

The Committee considered a report outlining the proposed Food Safety Service Plan 2017 to 2018.

The Food Safety Service Plan outlined a range of objectives for 2017/18, including the delivery of a comprehensive programme of inspections which would be supported by additional resources agreed by the Council’s Executive at its meeting on 9^th August 2017 and included funding to appoint two full-time permanent and three full-time temporary food safety officers for a period of up to 18 months following the Food Standards Agency audit in April 2017.  The Food Safety Service Plan also reviewed team performance during 2016/17 which recognised that despite the team being under-resourced, 638 hygiene inspections (84% of the target of 757) and 332 food standards inspections (over 100% of the target) had been completed, resulting in 700 schedules of improvements/letters being sent to good businesses.  There had also been 225 follow-up visits and 358 complaints had been investigated which was an increase of 102 on the previous year.

With regard to points for clarification, the Head of Food Safety, Occupational Safety and Licensing reported that ‘Approved’ food establishments were those that handled, prepared or produced products of animal origin for sale to mainly trade customers and that there were four such establishments in Bromley.  No charge was made for statutory Food Safety work; however the Local Authority was permitted to charge where food premises requested a visit be made to reassess their Food Hygiene rating, the current fee being £165.

In considering the report, the Chairman requested that the increasing number of food premises within the Borough be added to the list of external factors having an impact on the Food Safety Service.

In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Food Safety, Occupational Safety and Licensing confirmed that the Code of Practice for the Food Safety Service required that visits be made to new food businesses within 28 days of their opening, but that the current timescale was three months due to staffing issues.  The frequency of subsequent visits to food premises was dependent on their Food Hygiene rating and visits were made during food preparation periods, including daytime and evening periods.  Visits were made to all facilities where food was prepared including schools, care home and hotels.  School visits were undertaken by all Food Safety Officers, but the team also had a nominated Ofsted Liaison Officer who acted as a point of contact with Ofsted where there were concerns over a school.

The Head of Food Safety, Occupational Safety and Licensing advised Members that food premises in England were not required to display their food hygiene rating, unlike in Wales. The Food Standards Agency was keen to introduce the mandatory display of Food Hygiene Ratings in England but there was no specific date for this to happen.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Approve the Food Safety Service Plan 2017 to 2018; and,

2)  Note that the targets to reduce the backlog of inspections were dependent on being able to recruit to the additional food safety posts.