Food Standards Agency publishes local authority audit report for Derwentside
Monday 21 October 2002
Ref: 2002/0258
The Food Standards Agency today published an in-depth report on the food law enforcement services carried out by the Food/Occupational Health and Safety team of Derwentside District Council.
The Authority had recently undertaken a major review of the food law enforcement service, which had lead to an organisational restructure and the development of a range of improvement plans. Although the audit was carried out at a relatively early stage in this process, the Authority had commenced implementation of these plans and it was clear that they were beginning to provide an improvement in Service delivery.
There were, however, a number of significant problems that remained to be addressed, many of which had already been identified by the Authority. It is important that the officers are properly authorised and that the Service has a consistent approach to formal enforcement actions in accordance with the official guidance.
Although the Authority was prioritising inspections of high risk premises, not all inspections had been made at the correct frequency and a large backlog of lower risk premises inspections had accumulated. It is also important that adequate records of inspections and enforcement actions are maintained. All of these issues should be addressed through the planned improvements that the Authority has initiated and by more comprehensive and systematic monitoring.
Notes For Editors
Local authority audits are carried out as part of the Framework Agreement on local authority food law enforcement, which came into effect on 1 April 2001. Local authorities are audited against the Framework Agreement 'Standard' which sets out the full range of their food law enforcement activity.
The audits look at how local authority enforcement officers carry out their UK food law enforcement responsibilities. This gives the Agency an overview of the measures put in place by the local authority to protect local consumers and an opportunity to suggest what, if any, improvements are needed.
Copies of the report have also been placed in the Food Standards Agency Library, the libraries of both of the Houses of Parliament, the British Library and the Copyright Libraries.
Room 245 Aviation House,
125 Kingsway,
London WC2B 6NH
Telephone: 020 7276 8888
Out of hours duty pager: 07623 978344
Fax: 020 7276 8833
Email: press.mailbox@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk