Agenda item

To consider the monitoring report on the delivery of Service Plans for Quarter 1.

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 first quarter of the year. The Committee were reminded that the Service Plans had been approved by Committee at their meeting on 28th June 2023.

With regards to the Food Law Enforcement Plan, the Committee were advised that the main focus of the Plan is the planned routine inspections of food businesses. During quarter 1, 185 food hygiene inspections had been conducted, the majority of these being overdue category D premises which had not formed part of the Food Standard Agency’s recovery plan. It was explained that a number of these premises had not been inspected since 2018 and the aftereffects of the pandemic, the energy crisis and staffing shortages had in some cases resulted in a drop in standards. Officers were working to support these businesses to ensure the food they are producing was safe for consumers. In response to a question from a Councillor P Kadewere, officers reported that the Authority were on target to complete all Category D inspections this year.

Inspections of those premises categorised under the Alternative Enforcement Strategy remained at Red and Members were reminded that such Category E businesses were the Authorities lowest risk premises. Work had now started to review the status of these premises to determine which were still operating and needed inspecting.

The Committee were also informed that the Authority had continued to participate in the UK Health Security Agency’s sampling study during the quarter. The topics had been ‘Ready to Eat Salad and salad components from Retail and Catering’ and ‘Hygiene in Catering Premises’.

Members were informed that 55 new food business registrations had been received in Quarter 1, which was in line with expectations. There had also been a higher than anticipated number of rescore requests within the quarter, which officers considered might reflect the results of a number of the Category D inspections being undertaken.

With regards to Health and Safety activity during the quarter, it was noted that five accidents out of seven reported had been investigated during the quarter and 39 other service requests responded to. The majority of these were licence consultations. A range of health and safety advice has also been given to event organisers through the Safety Advisory Group.

It was also reported that Environmental Health had now taken over the administration of skin piercing registrations within the District. Thirteen applications for registration had been received within this quarter.

Having noted that the number of premises inspections and interventions was less than anticipated and in response to a question by a Member of a Committee, it was explained that these are driven by service requests and whether an inspection or intervention would be considered proportionate in line with the Health and Safety Executive’s Guidance. The number of inspections predicted for 2023/4 was based upon the numbers undertaken in previous years.