Agenda item

To consider the monitoring report on the delivery of Service Plans for the period 1st January to 31st March 2023.

With the assistance of a report by the Environmental Health Service Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Committee received an update on progress made against the delivery of work on the Council’s Food Law Enforcement and Health and Safety Plans during the period 1st January to 31st March 2023.

With regards to the Food Law Enforcement Plan, the Committee were advised that the programme of food hygiene inspections for the remainder of 2022-23 had continued to be completed in line with the Food Standards Agency Recovery Plan. In this regard, Members were pleased to note that all but 4 Category C premises had been inspected by 31 March 2023. It was also noted that more new business registrations were received in Quarter 4 than Quarter 3.

In terms of the total number of programmed food hygiene inspections for Category A-D premises, the Committee were advised that in total 671 inspections had been completed which was under the target set for the year.  In commenting on the number of inspections undertaken, the Executive Councillor for Customer Services commended the excellent performance of the Environmental Health Team and reported that there. had been 72% more food safety inspections than in 2021/22. He also reiterated that the reasons for the Amber rating could be attributed largely to the Authority following the Food Standards Agency’s Recovery Plan. Although there were still some backlogs in the inspection of of category D/E premises, overall he was satisfied with the performance of the team and he drew attention to a reduction in the target for inspections in 2023/24 to a more realistic figure.

In response to a question concerning the limited progress which had been made against the target for other proactive visits (i.e. food, water and environmental samples / advisory), the Committee were advised that this not currently of concern and the target would be revisited in 2023/2 to reflect the activities which the team were actually undertaking.

Members attention was then drawn to the Alternative Enforcement Strategy which remained as an underperforming area, given that there had been no inspections during the 2022-23 year. In response to which, the Committee were reminded that such Category E businesses were the Authorities lowest risk premises and thus inspections of such had not been included within the FSA’s recovery plan. Inspections relating to the Alternative Enforcement Strategy would now be taken forward in the forthcoming year.  

The Committee were informed that the Authority had continued to participate in UK Health Security Agency’s sampling study during the quarter. Members were advised that the topics had been ‘Ready to eat plant based (Vegan) Meat, Fish and Dairy substitutes’ and ‘Ready to eat hot or cold smoke fish’.

With regards to Health and Safety activity during the quarter, it was noted that 3 accidents were reported and that there had been 42 other service requests. The Committee were also informed that Officers had also been contributing to the Safety Advisory Group to offer advice to organisers to promote public safety at events within the district. Work was also continuing with the Health and Safety Project Work for 2022-23, which would be carried forward into 2023-24.