Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Year 3) (Closed)

Wednesday 11 June 2003

11 June 2003

Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is the Local Authority for the Western Isles, which are located off the north west mainland of Scotland.

The Western Isles have a land area of 290,000 hectares and a coastal line of 2,700km. The Islands measure 210km from the top of Lewis in the North to the uninhabited small islands of Bernaray and Mingulay in the southern extremity.

The Islands are 60km at their widest point. The population of the Western Isles is estimated at 27,473 with the largest settlement being Stornoway (6,000). The Islands have a declining population and the projected population by 2016 is 23,980 a drop of 12.7%.

The main economic sectors are public services, construction, fishing, fish farming and fish processing. Government employment surveys suggest that 80% of employment is in service related activities.

There are over 5,000 registered crofts on the Islands with the majority of these in use. It is estimated that there are over 150,000 livestock on the Islands. The department for Sustainable Communities has offices in Stornoway (serving Lewis and Harris and Balivanich (serving Uist and Barra), which are normally open between 9am and 5pm each weekday.

Trading Standards staff are based full time at the Council's headquarters in Stornoway where consumers and business can acquire information on the full range of Trading Standards issues between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

The Authority's Strengths

Service Plan
Service Plans, covering food and feedingstuffs enforcement, have been produced. These plans meet the requirements of the standard.

Food and Feedingstuffs Premises Inspections
The Authority has risk rated all its registered feedingstuffs premises.

Feedingstuffs Sampling
The Authority has been carrying out feedingstuffs sampling in acordance with its programme.

Facilities & Equipment
The Authority has made available all necessary equipment to permit all activities associated with the Service to be carried out.

Complaints Against the Service
A policy and procedure is in place.

Food, Feedingstuffs & Food Premises Complaints
These have been followed up in accordance with the Authority¿s procedure.

Follow-Up Action to Year 1 & 2 Non-Conformances
These have been completed and the audit files have been formally closed.

Areas for Improvement

Facilities & Equipment
The Authority needs to review and adhere to its Equipment Maintenance and Calibration Procedure.