Moray (Core Audit)(Closed)

The Moray Council is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority and therefore has responsibility for enforcing food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law in the Moray district.

Moray is home to some very well-known food manufacturers and producers. Food that is produced in Moray is distributed and sold throughout the world and is an important part of the local economy.

Approximately 1,155 businesses in the Authority�s area are subject to food law enforcement. There are also 251 registered establishments 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, although it has not been approved by the Authority.

An annual review based on the Service Plans has been carried out although it has 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 minimum level of service required.

Qualification and training records for Officers who are authorised to enforce the Food Safety Act demonstrate that Officers are appropriately qualified although not all are receiving sufficient continuing professional development.

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

Documentation relating to the inspection of establishments that are subject to product-specific food hygiene legislation is insufficiently detailed in some cases to determine whether inspections have assessed compliance with all aspects of the relevant legislation, Code of Practice and centrally issued guidance.

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

Service performance is being monitored in some areas but needs to be extended to cover all activities that are required to be monitored by the Code of Practice.

Following the Agency’s audit in April 2006, The Moray Council developed an action plan to address the non-conformities raised.

The information below details the following:

• the original non conformity identified during the date 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 31 January 2008
• the comments of the Agency auditors following their follow-up visit on 22 May 2008

The actions taken to address the action plan have been noted.