Dundee (Core Audit) (Closed)

Dundee City Council is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority which therefore has responsibility for the enforcement of food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law in the City of Dundee, and in the Port of Dundee that lies on the River Tay.

Approximately 1,250 businesses in the Authority�s area are subject to food law enforcement. Only one businesses is registered with the Authority under feeding stuffs legislation.

The Authority has Service Plans covering food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law enforcement that generally meet the requirements of the Service Planning Guidance in the Framework Agreement.

An annual review based on the Service Plans has not been carried out, and has therefore not been reported to the appropriate Member forum.

The Authority has appointed Authorised Officers and inspectors to enforce food and feeding stuffs law, although the number of food Officers in post is less than the number required to deliver the service.

The service includes a Corporate Food Safety advisor whose role is to ensure that high food safety standards are maintained in the Authority�s own premises.

Qualification and training records for Officers who have been authorised to enforce the Food Safety Act demonstrate that Officers are appropriately qualified and are receiving continuing development training.

Some food hygiene and food standards premises inspections are not being conducted at the required minimum frequencies.

The licensing and inspection of butcher shops and the inspection of other food business premises that are subject to general food hygiene legislation are being carried out systematically and in accordance with relevant procedures.

Documentation relating to the approval of establishments that are subject to product-specific food hygiene legislation is insufficiently detailed in some cases to determine whether approval procedures and inspections have assessed compliance with all aspects of the relevant regulations.

Sampling programmes for food and feeding stuffs have been developed and are being implemented. Unsatisfactory sample results are followed-up appropriately.