Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

She advised Members that as a result of the work undertaken by the Service, the percentage of food establishments rated as 3 or higher had increased from 95. 7% to 96.8% over the past 12 months, which was the highest percentage on record and the number of food establishments failing to reach a level of broad compliance with food hygiene law was down to 22, the lowest on record.

She informed Cabinet that the past year had seen an increase in the level of enforcement activity by the food safety team and as such 3 individuals had been successfully prosecuted relating to food hygiene offences at two food establishments, and 3 individuals were prohibited from operating a food business in the future due to the seriousness of the offences. The offences included a large quantity of out of date food being seized which was later condemned by a magistrate. She added that 14 hygiene improvement notices had been served requiring improvement at 6 food businesses.

She reminded Members that in 2017 she had reported that the Environmental health team formed a Primary Authority partnership with HMS Host UK Ltd and that the first twelve months had been spent building knowledge of the company processes and policies. She was pleased to inform Cabinet that the success of the partnership resulted in HMS Host signing a business support contract resulting in the appointment of a part time Primary Authority Officer in March 2018. She explained that the dedicated resource was expected to result in real benefits to the business and the focus of the officer over the next 12 months would be to devise and implement a food safety management system for the company and that  the past 12 months had seen a significant increase in the number of food export health certificates issued, rising from 98 to 210.

She explained that the draft 2018/19 service plan would once again focus resources on the highest risk establishments and it proposed to provide an enhanced level of support to selected establishments chosen because of their potential to grow.

Councillor A V Smith stated the service would continue to increase the use of social media to communicate hygiene ratings to both consumers and the businesses and the content of the food safety webpages would also be reviewed and amended. She congratulated the team on their continued efforts to improve standards at the Food establishments within the District.

It was moved by Councillor A V Smith, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The Environmental Health Food Safety Service Delivery Plan 2018/19 appended to the report be approved.

2.    The performance and achievements in 2017/18 be noted.

Reason for decision: To approve the content of the Food Safety Service Delivery Plan 2018/19 as required by the Food Standards Agency.