Perth and Kinross Council (Core Audit) (Closed)

Perth and Kinross Council is a Scottish Unitary Local Authority and therefore has responsibility for enforcing food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law in the District of Perth and Kinross.

Approximately 1,894 businesses in the Authority's area are subject to food law enforcement. There are also 251 registered intermediaries and establishments subject to feeding stuffs legislation in the Authority's area.

The Authority has a 2005-2006 Food and Feeding Stuffs Service Delivery Plan covering food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs law enforcement that meets the requirements of the Service Planning Guidance in the Framework Agreement. However, the 2006-2007 Service Plan and performance review of the 2005-2006 plan had not been finalised and submitted for appropriate Member approval at the time of the audit.

The Authority has appointed suitably qualified authorised Officers and inspectors to enforce food and feeding stuffs law and training records generally demonstrate that Officers are receiving continuing development training in accordance with the Code of Practice.

Inspections of food businesses in the highest risk categories where Regulation (EC) 852/2004 applies are being inspected at the required frequencies, having regard to the risk rating schemes in the Code of Practice. However some food hygiene and standards inspections of lower risk are not being conducted at the required minimum frequencies.

Primary inspections of food businesses subject to Regulation (EC) 853/2004 are being inspected at the required frequency, however the required secondary inspections are not being conducted at the minimum required frequency.

Records of inspections and other food and feeding stuffs enforcement activities are generally well documented and sufficiently detailed to demonstrate that inspections have assessed compliance with all aspects of relevant legislation in accordance with the Code of Practice and/or centrally issued guidance.

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

Officers use a range of informal and formal enforcement 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.

The Authority's electronic database appeared generally to be an up to date, accurate record of the Authority's food and feeding stuffs law enforcement activities, although a some anomalies were revealed during the audit that need to be addressed.

Service performance is being monitored in accordance with the Code of Practice, centrally issued guidance, and the Authority's own documented procedures.