North Lanarkshire Council (Core Audit) (Closed)

North Lanarkshire Council is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority and therefore has responsibility for conducting food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs official controls within the Authority’s area.

The Authority has 2007–2008 Food Safety and Trading Standards Service Plans covering official controls for food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs that meet the requirements of the Service Planning Guidance in the Framework Agreement.

An annual performance review based on the 2006–2007 Service Plan has been carried out, and the performance review and the 2007–2008 Service Plan have been approved by the relevant Member forum.

According to the 2007–2008 Service Plan 2,231 businesses in the Authority’s area are subject to official controls for food hygiene and standards. There are also 83 registered establishments under feeding stuffs legislation.

The Authority has appointed authorised officers and inspectors to carry out food safety, standards and feeding stuffs official controls, and qualification and training records for officers who are responsible for food law official controls demonstrate that officers are appropriately qualified, trained and experienced.

Food hygiene and food standards premises inspections are being conducted at the minimum frequencies required by the Food Law Code of Practice, although some audit and inspection records are not sufficiently detailed to demonstrate that some food businesses are complying with all relevant legislation.

Complaints about food, and the hygiene of food business premises are being investigated appropriately, and complainants and food business operators are being kept informed about the progress and outcome of investigations.

Sampling policies, procedures and programmes for food and feeding stuffs have been developed and are being implemented, and adverse food and feeding stuffs sample results are being followed–up appropriately.

Officers use a range of official control options to secure compliance, including letters, voluntary surrenders of food for destruction, hygiene improvement notices, voluntary closures of food businesses, and reports to the Procurator Fiscal for prosecution.

Service performance is being monitored in accordance with required standards, and any non–conformities that are identified are being followed–up appropriately and any necessary remedial action taken.