Applications invited for SFBB special grants

A major SFBB evaluation exercise was carried out in 2007 and reported to the Agency’s Board last December. The evaluation looked at progress towards the Agency’s Strategic Plan target of all food businesses to be actively working to achieve compliance with food safety management requirements with at least 75% fully compliant by the end of December 2010.

The SFBB evaluation showed an upward trend, with 48% of businesses assessed by local authority officers as compliant with the requirement for documented food safety management procedures in April 2007 (compared with 30% in 2002).

Research on the business perspective also highlighted improvements in food safety, a high level of satisfaction with SFBB interventions and some financial benefits associated with stock control and minimised wastage.

As a result of this evaluation, the Agency’s Board agreed a third wave of grants.

All English local authorities will be eligible to apply for funding, although priority will be given to those authorities that received no funding, or limited funding, in previous waves.

Guidance on completing the application form, which has been simplified for this wave, and the detailed criteria that will be used to assess grant applications, can be found at the link below. Also available for applicants are practical tips, an update on the support materials currently available and plans for future development of the SFBB programme.

Criteria for assessment will include:

• a focus on small caterers and retailers and in particular on hard to reach businesses
• a considered approach to business targeting and delivery with appropriate use of the SFBB toolkit, including the recently launched interactive DVD
• collaborative working with local/regional partner organisation/local authorities
• supplementary funding from other sources secured, including local authority ’in-kind’ contributions, or contributions from any other bodies
• a focus on specific outcomes and effective evaluation proposals
• full consideration of project management, administration, finances and demonstration of value for money
• innovative approaches to business engagement
• consideration of specific local/regional challenges and benefits
• consideration of future sustainability of this work

Local authorities that need any further information or want to discuss details of their application further should contact Ann Reason (tel: 020 7276 8139), Andrew Stephenson (tel: 020 7276 8388) or email HACCPTeam@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.