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Agenda item

Public Protection Official Feed and Food Control Service Plan 2019-20

This report accompanies the Official Feed & Food Controls Service Plan 2019-2020 (“the plan”).  The Committee are asked to agree the items summarised in appendix A to this report which are taken from the plan, and to note the plan at appendix B.  Appendix C provides supporting information.

The plan essentially documents the services’ involvement with feed and food official controls alonfside the partnerships asprations to deliver on inspections and audits across the three authority’s in line with the PPP model of delivery.

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Public Protection Official Feed and Food Control Service Plan 2019-2020 (Agenda Item 10).

The Committee was asked to agree the items summarised from the Service Plan, contained within the supporting information, and to note the full plan provided at Appendix B to this report.

The Service Plan essentially documented the Public Protection Partnership’s (PPP’s) involvement with feed and food official controls, alongside the PPP’s aspirations to deliver on inspections and audits across the three authorities in line with the PPP model of delivery.

Sean Murphy explained that the production of the Service Plan was an annual requirement. It needed to align with the statutory functions to protect all aspects of the food chain set by the Food Standards Agency (FSA); food safety, hygiene, quality, labelling and animal feed safety, hygiene and standards.

The Service Plan set out how the PPP intended to deliver the statutory functions of the three local authorities over the course of 2019-20.

Councillor Hilary Cole commented that this was one of the most important issues for the PPP as it concerned the health and welfare of residents.

Councillor John Porter referred to the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) and queried why businesses were not obligated to display their rating. Sean Murphy explained that this was a voluntary scheme and there was no statutory basis to enforce the display of the FHRS. However, this data was available online and he agreed that awareness should be raised of this. Sean added that there were a number of premises with a rating of 4 (good) or 5 (very good).

Performance indicators would be reported on a quarterly basis and were broadly unchanged from previous years, as follows:

Broadly Compliant - described the percentage of food premises that had ‘some non-compliances’ for food hygiene and for structure (and cleaning) and were at least ‘satisfactory’ in terms of confidence in management. They were not fully compliant premises and might still have food hygiene contraventions on inspection.TARGET = 90%

High Risk Premises Inspections in year – This would be defined as those premises that presented the greatest risks to the consumers and were due at least one inspection in-year, in line with the CoP frequency of inspection risk programme. This would include all primary production feed and food premises, approved premises as well as premises that would be classified as A & B (for hygiene), or ‘High’ for food standards and those which were not broadly compliant. TARGET = 100%

New Premises inspection within 28 days - New food premises would receive their initial inspection within 28 days of trading commencement where the business had notified the PPP of opening by registering as a food business. This was so that new businesses were given the assistance they needed at an early date to make them aware of their responsibilities and to ensure food premises across the Boroughs prepared and served food that was safe to eat. It also promoted and ensured a level playing field for all food businesses and promoted economic growth. TARGET = 75%

Councillor James Cole queried the management of risk with animal feed and the extent to which this was in the control of the PPP. Sean Murphy explained that the animal feed market had changed. Many farms were growing and developing their own feed, however stricter controls had been imposed following outbreaks in the past such as foot and mouth disease. The enforcement of these controls was grant funded by the FSA due to the importance of protecting the food chain.

RESOLVED that:

·         The summary document and the full Service Plan for 2019/20 be approved.

Supporting documents: