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Statutory Food Service Plan 2021.qxp_Layout 1 18/06/2021 09:02 Page 1
City of Wolverhampton Council
Food Service Plan
2021
wolverhampton.gov.uk
Statutory Food Service Plan 2021.qxp_Layout 1 18/06/2021 09:02 Page 2
2 City of Wolverhampton Council wolverhampton.gov.uk
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Contents
Contents
1 Introduction 5 6 Service delivery
What businesses can
2 Summary 7 expect from the service 19
Service statement 9 Intervention programme 20
Priority areas for intervention
and targeted action 24
3 Service aims and objectives
Food complaints 25
Service aims 10
Primary and Home Authority
Objectives 10
Principle 26
Links to corporate issues 11
Advice to businesses 27
Approval and review process 11
Sampling 27
Infectious disease control 30
4 Key achievements 12
Food safety incidents 30
Liaison arrangements 31
5 Background information
Authority profile 13
7 Resources
The means by which
Financial allocation 32
the service is discharged 14
Staffing allocation 33
Scope of the Food Service 15
Competency 35
Development of the
Food Hygiene Service 16 Staff development 35
Profile of the Food Service
– Food hygiene 17 8 Quality Assessment 37
– Feeding stuffs
Regulatory and 9 Performance management
compliance policy 18 and review 38
10 Regulatory and
Investigatory Powers Act 38
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4 City of Wolverhampton Council wolverhampton.gov.uk
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Introduction
1
Introduction
Welcome to the 20th Statutory Food The plan has been reviewed in
Service Plan for the City of accordance with the FSA’s Service
Wolverhampton. Planning Guidance for Food Law
Enforcement and the guidance
The Food Standards Agency (FSA)
contained in the Food Law Code of
Framework Agreement, which was
Practice (England) and Guidance.
developed in close partnership with the
The FSA also requires the service plan
Local Government Association (LGA),
be submitted for member approval to
requires the annual production of the
ensure local transparency and
Statutory Food Service Plan. The
accountability. All formal actions arising
agreement applies to local enforcement
from interventions taken under the
of all food laws, and incorporates the
provisions of the plan will be compliant
latest guidance and standards on food
with the BRDO Regulators’ Code.
law enforcement.
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Introduction
The plan is not a stand-alone document; bring forward some visits from 2022/23
it is an integral part of the council's to reduce the overdue inspection
service delivery programme. It stands numbers. The focus will continue to be
alongside other service specific plans on the higher risk businesses detailed in
such as the Health and Safety Plan and the programme.
sits within the overall performance
In 2018, we launched our consultancy
management arrangements for the
service Trade with Confidence. The
Commercial Regulation group of
service allows us to provide bespoke
services. All the service plans are aligned
support to businesses to help them
to the council’s corporate performance
achieve a better star rating or with any
and financial planning frameworks.
other issues or advice that they require.
The service is committed to working We hope to further develop this area
towards the inspection and intervention of work.
regime prescribed by the Food
Should you have any comments or
Standards Agency.
views with respect to this plan please
The Environmental Health Service has forward these to the Service Manager;
played an integral role in responding to Emma Caddick, Civic Centre, St.
the Covid-19 pandemic. Officers from Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton,
within the service have been redeployed WV1 1DA
to deal with work relating to Covid-19
and consequently a signifcant number of
food hygiene and standards inspections
have not been undertaken. The Food
Standards Agency has recognised the
pressure on local authorities and have
produced a recovery plan, which
recognises that there will be a back log
of inspections and reduced resources
within Environmental Health teams. It is
envisaged that the service will meet the
requirements of the recovery plan
programme this year and will be able to
6 City of Wolverhampton Council wolverhampton.gov.uk
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Summary
Service wheel:
existing services and priority areas
Prioritisation of
new businesses for
interventions based
w
on risk. 100% of
vie
Fo
premises rated
re
o
category A for
dS
A full range of food hygiene
ce
and standards work as required hygiene should
an
tan
by the Food Standards Agency, be inspected.
o rm
dar
including inspections, sampling
and responding to service
perf
ds A
requests. Full food hygiene
ency – External
and food standards
gency
interventions of
approved premises.
– External perfo
Statutory
Food
Service Further develop the
Trade with Confidence
rds Ag
consultancy service
A range of advisory work, ensuring that businesses
to help local businesses within and outside of
a
and residents ensure that
r
d
the city access the
m
tan
food manufactured sold and
a
services we
nce
consumed in the City of
S
offer.
Wolverhampton is safe to
d
Develop
r
o
e
eat and is correctly labelled.
Fo
primary authority
partnerships with v iew
businesses building
on the existing
partnership with
Marston's.
Existing services
2
Priority areas of work
to carry out (2021)
Priority areas of work
to develop (2021)
Summary
The Statutory Food Service Plan sets out how the City of Wolverhampton Council will
work over the coming year to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety
and quality of food prepared and sold in Wolverhampton is of the highest standard.
The plan meets the requirements laid down by the Food Standards Agency and is
designed to ensure that local people and residents can clearly see what the service
does, how our services are delivered and the resources we have to do this.
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Summary
Services Resourced
Compositional
Licensing
and microbiological
enforcement
sampling
Food
Food
standards
hygiene
Public health The overall budgetary provision
relating to for the service is anticipated to
commercial be in the region of Infectious
businesses £2.2 million for 2021. disease
i.e. drainage, investigation
The services resourced through and control
nuisance noise, this budgetary provision include:
etc.
Street scene Trading
regulation Standards
Health and safety
including accident
investigations, stadia
certification, etc.
Monitoring
The monitoring of performance against the service plan is detailed in the plan
and involves the head of service, service managers and employee groups. In addition,
there is external review of performance through the statutory return to the
Food Standards Agency.
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Summary
Service Statement
Our Service
Environmental Health enforces the law through a programme of interventions and
investigations in respect of food and other commercial businesses. It provides
information and advice to businesses, customers and other consumers. This service
is also responsible for health and safety, infectious disease control. The service
receives approximately 2,000 requests each year. In addition to dealing with requests
and complaints we carry out programmed regulation of shops and businesses in
Wolverhampton.
OUR GROUP of SERVICES
The Commercial Regulation Service is responsible for delivering some of the council’s
statutory duties. It combines Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Licensing and
Private Sector Housing into a single regulatory service. Our services are responsible
for ensuring you are treated fairly and your health and environment are protected.
Our council
In discharging these duties we strive to contribute to the corporate customer service
standards, the council’s core values and community priorities. Our service contributes
to the council’s core values in many ways.
Our service plans set the highest standards for us to work to. In our dealings with the
public and trade we act in accordance with the principles of the Compliance Code
ensuring equality and fairness to all combined with honesty, transparency and
accountability.
The objectives of these services are protecting people and the environment and,
through engaging stakeholders and colleagues in other agencies, we build
partnerships. By protecting the social, economic and environmental conditions within
the city and by minimising nuisance to neighbourhoods and protecting the health of
people at work and play our service contributes to the council’s strategic goals of
developing strong resilient and healthy communities and a vibrant green city which we
can all be proud of.
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Service aims and objectives
3
Service aims and objectives
Aims • Support the workings of the Central
England Environmental Health
Through the effective and efficient use of
Partnership, West Midlands Food
the resources allocated, to help food
Liaison Group, and the Central
businesses provide safe food and
England Trading Standards
ensure that the quality of food prepared
Authorities Food Group.
and sold in Wolverhampton is of the
highest standard. • Maintain appropriate food sampling
regimes which comply with relevant
statutory provisions and national
Objectives guidance.
In achieving the aims we will: • Investigate reported cases and
outbreaks of infectious disease and
• Register, approve and licence, as
support the work of Public Health
appropriate, relevant food premises.
England in this respect.
• Maintain appropriate food premises
• Have regard to enforcement which is
intervention programmes which
helpful, consistent and proportionate
comply with all requirements set out
and does not impose unnecessary
in legislation.
burden, as set out in the Black
• Respond to and investigate food Country Regulators Operating
safety and standards complaints, Framework.
requests for information made by
• Ensure all actions and decisions
both business persons and private
taken by employees and councillors
individuals and complaints of a public
are undertaken in an open and
health nature, relating to food
transparent fashion with due regard
premises.
to the council's policies on equality.
• Make appropriate responses to
• Ensure that all investigations leading
national food alerts and incidents
to legal proceedings are completed in
identified by the FSA.
accordance with the principles of
• Support the BEIS Primary and Home natural justice and fairness.
Authority Principle.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring,
reporting and response to the actual
implementation and delivery of the
agreed service plan.
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Service aims and objectives
Links to corporate issues Approval and review process
In order to achieve continuous service The service plan is subject to approval
improvement and strive for performance and scrutiny by the director for City
capable of achieving a sustainable Housing and Environment and the
future which reflects the political Cabinet Member for City Environment
priorities and values of partners within and Climate Change.
Wolverhampton, it is important that the
Progress with delivery of the plan is
statutory service plan links itself visibly to
monitored on a regular basis by The
the overall corporate objectives.
Commercial Regulation Management
Environmental Health produces two team.
service delivery plans detailing the work
of the service. They cover the work of
the Food Hygiene and Standards
Service and the Health and Safety
Service.
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Key achievements 2018/19
4
Key achievements for 2021/22
• Supporting the set up and management of the food hub, ensuring food safety
standards and infection control measures were implemented and maintained.
• Development of the Covid compliant scheme
• 3435 visits to businesses to review Covid measures and ensure
the were Covid compliant
• 1500 Covid enquiries dealt with
• 414 Food hygiene interventions undertaken
• 374 Food standard interventions undertaken
• 432 complaints relating to food hygiene and standards dealt with
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Background information
5
Background information
Authority profile
The City of
Black 6.9% "Other" ethnicity 1.9%
Wolverhampton has
a population of Asian 18.1% White British
263,357
64.5%
Ethnic
breakdown
(ONS, 2019) of the
population
Mixed 5.1% (Census, 2011)
White Non-British
3.5%
49.7% 50.3%
male female Proportion of
Population by gender residents aged
(ONS, 2020)
72.5% 16-74 in
employment
(ONS, 2020)
Approximateley
31.6% of children
Wolverhampton is ranked as live in low income
the 24th most deprived local families.
authority area in the country.
Children in
Low Income
Families
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Background information
The means by which the service is delivered
The political structure of the council is council’s constitution, budget and plans
made up of a Leader, Cabinet, Cabinet approved by the council.
Panels, Scrutiny Panels and
The Commercial Regulation Service,
committees. The Cabinet is part of the
which sits within the City Housing and
executive decision making process and
Environment group of services, falls
is made up of ten councillors and is
under the remit of the Cabinet Member
chaired by the leader of the council.
for City Environment and Climate
Each cabinet member has a specific
Change along with Waste Services,
area of responsibility, a portfolio.
Public Realm Services, and
Decisions about the day to day running
Bereavement Services.
of council services are taken by
Cabinet within the framework of the
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Background information
Scope of the Food Service • Commitment of resources to the
Home Authority Principle and Primary
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s
Authority Partnership,
Food Service undertakes:
• Commitment to the BEIS Better
• Programmed interventions, which
Business for All initiative
include full or part inspections,
microbiological and compositional • Response to cases and outbreaks of
sampling of food, education and actual and suspected food related
advisory visits to food businesses infectious disease.
with respect to food hygiene and
• Provision of advice and assistance to
food standards.
other local authorities and
• Operation of the National Food enforcement bodies
Hygiene Rating Scheme (NFHRS)
• Enforcement of the Health Act 2006,
• Development and maintenance of an Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling
‘alternative enforcement strategy’ for Act 2005
food businesses for both food
• Consultee role to planning
hygiene and food standards
applications.
• Responses to food complaints
• Response to nuisance complaints The service is also responsible for
and related issues in connection with discharging the authority’s functions in
food business relation to health and safety at work,
infectious disease control, licensing
• Response to food alerts, warnings
issues and nuisance arising from waste,
and other food incidents
drainage and noise from food and
• Response to, and determination of, licenced commercial premises.
licence applications in relation to
Feeding stuffs enforcement is delivered
food businesses
in partnership with South Staffordshire
• Investigation of allegations of County Council who are responsible for
food fraud undertaking enforcement compliance in
this area.
• Promotion of food related health
matters
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Background information
Development of the Food Hygiene Service
In 2021, the Food Service will continue In 2021, a priority for the service
to focus on meeting the inspection and alongside reducing the number of
intervention regime prescribed by the overdue inspections will be the
Food Standards Agency. development of the consultancy service,
widening the services remit and ensuring
The Food Standards Agency have
the products on offer meet the needs of
recognised the impact that the Covid-19
the businesses within the city.
pandemic has had on local authorities
and has set out a recovery plan, which Alongside the consultancy service,
deviates from the traditional inspection the focus in 2021 will be on the
regime. The expectation for 2021 is that development of primary authority
local authorities will prioritise new partnerships with businesses.
businesses for intervention based on
Primary authority is a means for
risk, that all establishments rated A for
businesses to receive assured and
hygiene should be inspected and
tailored advice on (amongst other areas)
enforcement work should be undertaken
meeting environmental health and
where premises are of poor standards.
trading standards regulations through
Businesses will continue to be risk rated a single point of contact.
following an initial inspection. Should
The authority have an established
they receive a poor food hygiene rating
primary authority partnership with
and want to amend their rating, they will
Marston's PLC. This partnership builds
have to pay for a revisit to be
on the successful home authority
re-rated.
partnership which has been in place for
Officers will continue to signpost a number of years.
businesses to any resources and
guidance required to ensure they comply
with the law, however more detailed help
and support will only be available on a
cost recovery basis through the ‘Trade
with Confidence’ consultancy service.
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Background information
Profile of the Food Service Premises Type Total Number
(As of April 2021) of Premises
Enforcement of regulations on food Caring establishments 205
standards, safety and hygiene is
Distributors & transporters 0
primarily the responsibility of local
authorities, however the Food Standards Hotel/guest house 17
Agency (FSA) have responsibility for
Importers and exporters 0
food hygiene enforcement in
slaughterhouses, cutting premises, Manufacturers and packers 41
farmed and wild game facilities and
Mobile food unit 60
co-located minced meat and meat
products premises. Local authorities Primary producer 1
retain responsibility for food standards
Pub/club 184
enforcement within these premises.
Restaurant and caterers other 615
The food premises profile for
Wolverhampton is set out in the table Schools/college 107
alongside.
Small retailer 600
The food premises data base of
Supermarket/hypermarket 45
Wolverhampton is currently stored within
an IT platform called IDOX. Take-away 310
Wholesalers 80
Totals 2265
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Background information
Profile of Food Service – Regulatory and compliance policy
feeding stuffs
This is the overarching compliance
The authority has entered into a policy document was approved by
partnership with Staffordshire County Cabinet in October 2014. It has regard
Council, who have now assumed to human rights issues and incorporates
responsibility for undertaking the principles contained in the
enforcement compliance within Government’s BIS / BRDO Regulators
this area. Code.
45 premises undertake the activity The Black Country Regulators Operating
of production, storage or handling Framework, comprising Service Charter,
of feed stuff(s) for animals. Regulatory & Compliance Policy and
Service Standards has now been
adopted by all four Black Country
authorities.
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Service delivery
6
Service delivery
What businesses should expect when a member
of staff undertakes an inspection
Staff undertaking food safety work will:
✔ Identify themselves by name and title, showing proof of ID if required
and give contact details when necessary
✔ Be helpful and courteous
✔ Carry out their duties in a fair, equitable and consistent manner in accordance
with the council’s enforcement and equal opportunities policies.
✔ Help food businesses in providing safe food for their customers. Discuss
and assist in the compliance with legislation, applying a risk based and
appropriate approach.
✔ Tailor the intervention to the business’s needs, minimising the cost of compliance
by ensuring any action required is proportionate to the risk.
✔ Encourage businesses to seek advice, information and encourage two way
communication.
✔ Provide information about the council’s complaints procedures and any
official appeals procedures as appropriate.
✔ Issue a report, where non-compliance with the relevant legislation is found.
✔ Advise on future changes in relevant legislation and requirement/obligations
on food business.
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Service delivery
Intervention Programmes cutting plants etc (where the council
does not enforce hygiene legislation)
In accordance with the FSA Food Law
separate food standards interventions
Code of Practice food premises in
are arranged.
Wolverhampton are subject to an
intervention in order to establish that The adoption of this approach has
food related activities carried out within meant that although all businesses are
the premises comply with food law. rated for food standards risk under FSA
Food Law Code of Practice, the
The use of interventions was
intervention programme is generally
incorporated in UK law through the
driven by the frequency of food hygiene
requirements made under Retained
intervention. The inevitable consequence
Regulation 882/2004 Article 10 and
is that some food standards
further through the FSA Food Law Code
interventions will be undertaken slightly
of Practice. Interventions are defined as
early and some slightly late. In order to
activities that are designed to monitor,
minimise the effect of this on statistical
support and increase food law
returns a general rule is followed
compliance within a food establishment.
whereby if a food standards intervention
They include but are not restricted to
will be overdue at 31 March if not carried
“official controls” and are carried out
out at the same time as a food hygiene
using a risk based approach, which is
intervention, it should be done early
set out within the FSA Food Law Code
rather than late.
of Practice.
Serious or significant food standards
There are currently two separate
breaches will be followed up by
inspection programmes relating to food
appropriate intervention and when
hygiene and food standards, however
necessary formal action e.g.
for the majority of businesses in
prosecution, simple caution etc.
Wolverhampton, food standards
interventions are normally undertaken at Both programmes adhere to the
the same time as food hygiene premises rating schemes contained
interventions. This is because, for most within the statutory Food Law Codes of
businesses, the issues of labelling, Practice produced by the FSA. Using
composition and quality are interlinked the number of premises in each risk
with those of the food hygiene and band and the associated inspection
safety and are therefore dealt with frequency, it is possible to estimate the
during one intervention. However, for number of inspections due in any given
larger manufacturing businesses and period. The number of revisits is a
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Service delivery
function of the levels of compliance It is estimated that an additional
identified during an initial visit and any 2 senior/district officers and a
enforcement policy decisions. compliance officer would be required
to achieve full compliance with the Food
The intervention programme is central to
Standards Agency’s requirements on a
food law compliance, and local
sustainable basis.
authorities must ensure that such a
programme is appropriately resourced.
The purpose of food hygiene inspections
is to find out if food being handled and
produced hygienically is safe to eat,
and to identify factors which have the
potential to cause food poisoning or
injury. Failure to adequately resource the
food programme would result in some
premises not receiving an inspection
and operating in a manner which could
cause harm to public health.
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Service delivery
Food hygiene intervention programme for 2021
The table below outlines the visits due Category A premises are the highest risk
for 2021. The table also includes those premises. Alternative Enforcement
inspections not completed in the Strategy (AES) premises are the lowest
previous years inspection programme risk premises and are subject to less
but does not include all of those frequent interventions.
inspections, which would have
traditionally been due this year.
Risk rating Number of premises Number of premises
due in 2021 overdue (2020)
(as per recovery plan)
A 4 0
B 0 25
C 0 128
D 0 140
AES (E) 0 208
Unrated 102 N/A
Total 106 501
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Service delivery
Food Standards Intervention Programme 2021
The table below outlines the visits one. These should be subject to
identified for 2021. The table includes minimum contact via the AES at least
those inspections not completed in the once every 5 years in accordance with
previous years inspection programme, the FSA Food Code of Practice.
but does not include all of the premises,
The information in relation to both the
which would have been due this year.
Food Standards and the Food Hygiene
Category A premises are the highest risk intervention programme forms part of
premises. The FSA Food Law Code of the data submitted to the FSA on an
Practice deems that Category C rated annual basis.
premises do not receive an intervention
as they are so low risk they do not justify
Risk Rating Number of Premises Number of Premises
Due in 2021 Overdue (2020)
A 0 6
B 0 344
C/AES * 0 22
Unrated 102 0
Total 102 372
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Service delivery
Feeding stuffs • Develop the consultancy service
Wolverhampton has 45 premises where Trade with Confidence - reviewing
feed is produced, stored or handled. products and areas of work where
Priority inspection has been contracted consultancy services can be offered.
to Staffordshire Trading Standards, • To provide suitable, relevant and
whom target higher risk premises and informative guidance to businesses to
those generating complaints, on average assist their compliance with food
premises receive a 3 year inspection. labelling legislation, including allergen
Priority areas for intervention legislation.
and targeted activities • To ensure a satisfactory level of
Identified enforcement priorities for compliance with food standards
further development for 2021 are set issues in manufacturers and
out below: processors.
• To prioritise new businesses for • To implement new legislation, codes
intervention based on risk and of practice and service policy and
inspect all establishments rated A procedures as required by law and
for hygiene. when requiring update.
• Once all due inspections are
completed carry out food hygiene
and standards inspections on the
next priority inspections set by the
Food Standards Agency bringing
forward the food programme
for 2022
• To carry out full food hygiene and
food standards interventions of
approved premises and other
manufacturers that fall due within
the year.
• To develop primary authority
partnerships with businesses in
the area.
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Service delivery
Food complaints The service will accept and investigate
complaints if one or more of the
The service endeavours to adopt a
following circumstances are apparent:
consistent approach to the receipt and
investigation of food complaints, 250 of • There is ‘prima facie’ evidence of an
which are received each year. In general, offence under the Food Safety Act
all food complaints made to the service 1990 or its subordinate regulations
will give rise to a detailed consideration and the nature of the offence gives
of the exact circumstances of each case rise to public health or safety
in order to determine whether it would concerns.
be an appropriate use of resources to
• The complaint represents a repeat
pursue the matter. A range of options is
of previous offences by the
available:
company/trader concerned and the
• Advise complainant to pursue directly circumstances of the case indicate
with retailer or manufacturer. the case would withstand legal
scrutiny.
• Accept complaint and refer to either
‘home’,‘originating’ authority and/or In addition to food complaints received
primary authorities for information each year, in the region of 576
and/or investigation. complaints relating to conditions in or
around food premises are also received.
• Accept and investigate complaint in
These complaints range from allegations
liaison with ‘home’ ‘originating and/
of poor hygiene to major defects with
or ‘primary’ authorities with a view to
drainage systems or rodent infestations
further action.
etc. The vast majority of these
All complaints will be dealt with in complaints are investigated by a visit
accordance with the Food Complaints from an officer.
Policy and Procedure.
The maximum response time for
All complainants are advised at the complaints is 10 working days; however,
earliest opportunity of the course of these are driven by levels of associated
action the council intends to take. risk and prioritised as such.
The vast majority of complaints fall into
the second of the above categories.
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Service delivery
Home Authority and Primary administered by the Office for Product
Authority principle Safety and Standards.
Businesses operating in the United The council is committed to supporting
Kingdom (UK) need to comply with a the Home and Primary Authority scheme
wide range of legislation. Local in respect of both proactive and reactive
authorities, which are responsible for food safety issues. The service has an
enforcing most legislation, help established primary authority partnership
businesses to comply by providing with Marston's PLC focusing primarily
advice, guidance and information. on food hygiene and food standards
Businesses usually build up a work.
relationship with, and receive advice and
In maintaining our home authority
information from, one local authority that
partnerships, officers from the service
is usually based where the business is.
will:
For trading standards and food safety
• respond to enquiries from other local
matters, the local government has
authorities about, or concerning, the
developed a scheme where that
business or its operations or
authority, known as the home authority,
procedures
is the local authority at the location of
the business' decision-making base. • act on behalf of other local authorities
The Home Authority Principle is a as the primary regulatory link to the
scheme to help businesses by providing business
contact points for advice and guidance
• provide advice to the companies on
in order to maintain high standards of
the interpretation of legislation
business services, encourage fair trade
and develop a consistent approach to • provide assistance to enforcing
enforcement. authorities in the conduct of
investigations and encourage the
As part of the government’s Better
businesses to offer reasonable
Regulation agenda, the Regulatory
assistance.
Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008
has paved the way for an extension of The authority will have regard to the
the Home Authority scheme. The new Primary Authority Partnership Scheme
scheme is known as primary authority. and associated official guidance when
Effectively, primary authority gives considering formal legal action.
statutory backing to the home authority
scheme and provides a series of
additional benefits. It is currently
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Service delivery
Advice to businesses Sampling
In order to compliment and enhance its The services carries out food sampling
enforcement functions, the service on both a reactive and proactive basis.
provides advice and information to
Reactive sampling, for either
businesses with the aim of assisting
microbiological examination or
them to comply with their statutory
compositional analysis takes the
obligations. Businesses will be
following forms:
signposted to information and nationally
approved guidance, which will help • Sampling of foods subject to
them comply with legislation. complaint
Apart from the ‘feedstuff’ related • Unplanned sampling carried out
premises, advice to business with during an inspection
implications in relation to feeding stuffs
• Un-programmed sampling associated
is minimal, because retailers are selling
with a food poisoning investigation
sealed containers of long shelf life
products. • Programmed sampling as determined
by national and regional surveys
Two sampling programmes are
operated, one for microbiological
examination and one for compositional
analysis. These concentrate on
businesses that will positively benefit
from the taking of samples and the
results and advice officers can offer to
the business operator.
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Service delivery
Microbiological sampling programme Compositional sampling programme
The microbiological sampling The compositional sampling programme
programme focuses on assisting food consists of samples being subject to
businesses to provide safe food to their
• Presence/absence of certain
customers.
constituents
Each sample is subject to 6 standard
• Whether food has been subject
determinations:
to certain processes
• Aerobic Colony Count ( ACC)
• Compliance with labelling
• Enterobacteriacae requirements
• E.coli • Composition of food, e.g. alcohol
substitution, % lean meat, over-use
• Salmonella
of food colourings
• Staphlococcus aureas
The compositional programme
• Listeria incorporates both national and local
surveys. The service will participate in
Each sample result is interpreted in
such surveys subject to available
accordance with the most recently
resources.
published guidelines from the Health
Protection Agency (HPA). Sampling and surveys are based on the
Home Authority Principle and target
The microbiological sampling
manufacturing businesses, new and
programme incorporates both national
existing. Premises having unsatisfactory
surveys and those organised at a local
results will be subject to follow-up formal
level through the West Midlands Food
sampling.
Liaison Group.
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Service delivery
Water Sampling Feeding stuffs sampling
There is only one commercial private The authority has entered into a
water supply in Wolverhampton. In order partnership with Staffordshire County
to ensure compliance with the relevant Council, who have now assumed
regulations the service ensures that responsibility for undertaking
samples of water from all private water enforcement compliance within
supplies are taken and results analysed. this area.
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Service delivery
Infectious disease control Under the Public Health (Control of
Disease) Act 1984 and associated
In conjunction with Public Health
regulations, duly authorised officers are
England (PHE), City of Wolverhampton
provided with wider, more flexible
Council investigates cases of actual or
powers to deal with food related
suspected food poisoning and food
incidents or emergencies where
borne infectious disease. The response
infection or contamination presents, or
is determined by:
could present a risk to human health.
• The nature of the (suspected) illness It also places a duty on GP's to notify
the proper officer of the council of food
• The number of cases
poisoning cases.
• The nature of the employment of
Food safety incidents
affected individuals
All formal food alert warnings are
• The previous record of implicated
investigated in line with the local
food businesses
interpretation of the recommended
Approximately 155 individual cases are approach attached to each warning.
notified to the service every year, a The authority receives notification of
number of these may constitute each warning through the Food
outbreaks, where a number of cases are Standards Agency (FSA).
associated with the source of the food
poisoning.
In all cases implicating known food
hazards the standards contained in the
document ‘Food Handlers - Fitness to
Work’ are observed.
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Service delivery
Liaison arrangements Officers from the service also meet and
liaise with the following organisations:
The City of Wolverhampton Council is
committed to open, transparent and • The West Midlands Food Liaison
proportionate enforcement which is Group
consistent with government advice,
• Central England Trading Standards
guidance and national and regional
Authorities Group (CEnTSA) - Quality
interpretation of legislative requirements.
Standards Sub Group
In addressing this the importance of
• Public Health
collaboration and consultation locally
and nationally is recognised. Regionally With respect to liaison arrangements
there are liaison groups at chief officer with trade representatives the service
(head of service) level in respect of can organise periodic food focus groups
Environmental Health and Trading or forums and attend and support local
Standards services. trade groups when required.
The service will also respond to
consultation exercises from the
government, the Local Government
Association and relevant professional
bodies.
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Resources
7
Resources
Financial allocation The services resourced through this
budgetary provision are not confined to
As with all areas of service the allocation
food related matters and include:
of resources is undertaken in
accordance with the agreed Medium - • Food hygiene
term Financial Strategy for the council.
• Infectious disease investigation
Food enforcement work benefits from and control
the overall senior management resource
• Food standards
provided through the City Housing and
Environment team. • Sampling
This area of activity also benefits from • Health and safety
central support services recharged
• Public health (relating to commercial
through internal service level
businesses, i.e. nuisance, noise,
agreements.
damage, etc)
The overall budgetary provision for the
• Central support services
service is in the region of 2.2 million.
A wide range of other non-food related • Licensing enforcement
services are delivered within this
• City centre compliance and
budgetary provision. Provision for food
regulation
hygiene and standards is currently in the
region of £400,000, but as previously • Street scene compliance
stated is subject to on-going review.
• Student training
As feeding stuffs enforcement activity is
carried out as part of comprehensive
Trading Standards duties it is not
possible to accurately cost, but it will
amount to less than 0.5% of the total
budget for Trading Standards.
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Resources
Staffing allocation A detailed analysis of the proportion of
the supervisory and operational time
The strategic financial, human and
dedicated to food safety is contained in
service functions are undertaken
the following table, and the structure of
through the Commercial Regulation
Environmental Health shown below.
management team.
Post % Food Safety FTE
Head of service (x1) 5% 0.05
Service Manager 50% 0.5
Team Leader 60% 0.6
District/senior EHO (8.36) 65% 5.33
Total full time equivalent (FTE) 6.48
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Resources
The current structural chart for the Environmental Health Service is shown below:
Service
Manager
Environmental
Health and Covid
Business
Support
GR09
Service Lead Environmental
Covid Business Health Team
Support Leader
GR07 8 Commercial
12 month FTC GR08
Senior Officer Senior Officer Senior Trading Senior Officer
Permitts Safety/Food Environmental Standards GR07 x 6.1
GR07 x 1 GR07 x 2.5 Health Officer Officer
Covid Business Covid Business
Support Support
GR07 x 3 GR07
12 month FTC 12 month FTC
Compliance
Officer
GR05 x 0.6
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Resources
Competency Staff development
The service operates a strict regime of As part of the council's aim to provide
supervision and assessment prior to the services efficiently and effectively, an
delegation of responsibility to officers, annual appraisal will take place with
which is in accordance with the relevant officers. As part of the appraisal process
FSA Food Law Code of Practice. officers development needs will be
examined to ensure they are trained to a
The team leader and senior officer
level of competence appropriate to their
posts, would normally be individuals
work. The Food Law Code of Practice
with full delegated powers under the
requires all officers involved in
various statutes within the service’s
undertaking official controls to obtain a
sphere of responsibility.
minimum of 20 hours CPD per year.
The Food Law Code of Practice requires 10 of which must be on core food
that authorised officers demonstrate that matters directly related to the delivery of
that they are competent to carry out official controls. There are different ways
their functions prior to being authorised. officers will obtain this training. These
Officers are therefore required to include:
complete a competency assessment
• Internal and external training
with the team leader within 3 months of
courses/events
commencing their role. This assessment
should be reviewed at least annually or • Cascade training delivered by officers
when restricted activities are reassessed who themselves have attended
training
Officers with less than six months post
qualification experience are subject to • Individual interviews
regular checking, monitoring and
• Divisional meetings and briefings –
accompanied visits in accordance with
used to disseminate information, etc.
the FSA Food Law Code of Practice and
partake in regular intervention reflections • Attendance at ad hoc working groups
with other officers.
• "On the Job" training – as part of the
All officers are subject to one formal delegation process
monitoring visit per year.
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Resources
• Self-training – suitable journals and The service will ensure staff participate in
up to date information are provided any regional food standardisation
exercise and in any organised in-house.
• Establishment of trainee/student
There will also be opportunities for
placements
members of the division to attend one-
• Placement with other services or off seminars on topical issues arising
teams for training purposes and during the year. Staff attending these
special projects seminars are required to present a
feedback session at the next available
service meeting where it is deemed
appropriate.
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Quality assessment
8
Quality assessment
Various monitoring techniques are used
in order to assess officer performance
against set criteria, including the FSA
‘Standard’, and all other external
standards established by various codes
of practice.
For example:
• Internal audit
• Accompanied visits
• West Midlands Food Liaison Group
• Inspection monitoring
• Correspondence checking/file review
• Standardisation exercises
• FSA audit
An annual review of requirements set out
in the ‘Standard’ shall also form part of
the Service Work Programme.
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Performance management and review | Regulatory and Invesigatory Powers Act
9
Performance management and review
All areas of council service are subject manager, team leaders officers and
to service planning and performance employee groups.
measurement and review. This is
In addition, there is external review
managed through service plans,
of performance through the audit
corporate strategies and financial
commission, External Audit and
planning, etc.
statutory returns such as those to the
Performance against performance Food Standards Agency (FSA).
indicators is subject to regular reviews
Any areas for improvement identified as
reported to the director for City Housing
requiring action will be detailed as part
and Environment. Similarly, there is on-
of the review process. These will be
going monitoring of the deployment of
addressed by the Commercial
financial resources against budgetary
Regulation Management Team as part
provision, again reviewed on a monthly
of the review process and action taken
basis.
shall range from immediate action to
The monitoring of performance against inclusion in the service plan for future
service plans has been discussed earlier years.
in this document; it involves service
directors, head of service, service
10
Regulatory and Investigatory Powers Act
The service has fully implemented the
requirements for the authorisation of
officers and surveillance in the required
circumstances.
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Statutory Food Service Plan 2021.qxp_Layout 1 18/06/2021 09:02 Page 40
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