Dumfries and Galloway (Core Audit)

Dumfries and Galloway Council is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority and therefore has responsibility for enforcing food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law within the area of Dumfries & Galloway.

Approximately 2,300 businesses in the Authority’s area are subject to food law enforcement. There are also approximately 900 registered and 4 approved intermediaries and establishments subject to feeding stuffs legislation in the Authority’s area.

The Authority have rolling operational plans for both Environmental Health and Trading Standards. However, the Operational plan alone in relation to Environmental Health does not cover all areas as required by the service planning guidance within the framework agreement.

The Authority have appointed suitably qualified Authorised Officers to enforce food and feeding stuffs law. However, there was insufficient evidence in the Officer training records to demonstrate that the minimum 10 hours food related continuing development training requirement has been met.

Records of the inspection of establishments that are subject to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 are not sufficiently detailed in some cases to demonstrate that inspections have assessed compliance with all aspects of relevant legislation in accordance with the Code of Practice.

The Authority participates in co-ordinated surveys, surveillance exercises, and the sampling of locally produced food. Any results that were unsatisfactory had been notified to the business concerned and appropriately followed-up.

Officers use a range of informal and formal enforcement options to secure compliance, including letters, voluntary surrenders of food for destruction, and hygiene improvement notices.

Service performance is being monitored, although food law enforcement monitoring is not completely in accordance with the Standard.

Following the Agency’s audit in January 2007 Dumfries and Galloway Council developed an action plan to address the non-conformities raised.

The Agency notes the progress that has already been made with implementation of the action plan.

The information in the audit document details the following:

• the original non conformities identified during the January 2007 audit
• the action the Authority intended to take to address the non conformity
• the date by which the non conformity was to be rectified
• the progress to date as notified by the Authority in January 2008
• the comments of the Agency Auditors from the follow-up audit in June 2008
• current status of individual non conformities

The actions taken to address the action plan have been noted, however, the Agency intends to revisit the Authority in due course to check further implementation and satisfactory completion of the action plan.