Renfrewshire (Core Audit) (Closed)

Renfrewshire 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 a 2007/2008 Food Service Plan covering official controls for food hygiene, food standards and feeding stuffs that meets 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 but had not been approved by members at the time of the audit.

According to the 2007/2008 Service Plan, 1,457 businesses in the authority’s area are subject to official controls for food hygiene and standards. There are also 85 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. Qualification and training records demonstrate that those officers are appropriately qualified, trained and experienced.

Food hygiene and food standards premises inspections are generally being conducted at the minimum frequencies, having regard to the risk-rating scheme in the Food Law Code of Practice.

Food and feeding stuffs complaints, and complaints about the hygiene of food business premises are being investigated appropriately. Complainants and food and feed business operators are generally 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 non-conformities are being followed-up appropriately and necessary remedial action taken.