Agenda item

The Council was required to produce and approve a work plan that was in line with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Framework Agreement and the Statement of Commitment, agreed nationally between Local Authority Representatives and the Health and Safety Executive.

The Committee therefore considered such a Plan, which covered all work undertaken within the Housing and Environmental Enforcement work area, relating to Food and Health and Safety. The Plan’s purpose being, to set out how the Council delivered its official controls and fulfilled its duties under food, health and safety, public health and drinking water legislation. 

The Plan before Members also reflected the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had had upon the work area in relation to delivering its statutory functions in respect of food hygiene. The information on performance and the inspection regime were shown in sections 9 and 10 of the Plan and were specifically highlighted to the Committee.

The Covid-19 Pandemic had severely impacted on the service area and its ability to deliver the usual obligations in relation to food safety. Officers in the work area had been immediately identified, and delegated by Government, to provide the frontline response within the majority of Local Authority Coronavirus Regulations.

As a result, the objectives within the 20/21 work plan have not been achieved and in some instances were not able to be achieved.  FSA guidance had been followed at all times and during the Pandemic certain activities and inspections had been prohibited. Enabling the work area to focus on the Covid-19 response, had meant usual statutory requirements in relation to food hygiene inspections had been amended as the year progressed.

Further details of the COVID- 19 Impact were contained in Section 3 of the report including the increased service requests and future resourcing, in light of the FSA Recovery Road Map which would see the Authority need to deliver a substantial amount of inspections during 21/22 and into 22/23 before a return to more recognisable plan.

The Road Map and impact specifically on West Lindsey’s resources short and long term were detailed in Section 4 of the report.  The scale of the challenge was considerable, and resourcing would need to be increased to ensure that the Council could return to the normal inspection regime and the target of between 90-95% of routine inspections being achieved. A resourcing plan was under consideration.

Given the different approach, current performance and delivery targets would not be achieved however, the report recommended that, given the current circumstances raised through the report, the Committee should receive a progress report by January 2022, to be assured what progress was been achieved against the Recovery Plan.

Debate ensued and Members recognised the scale of the challenge.  In response to questions, Officers confirmed budgets had been identified for temporary additional resources.  Some level of food sampling would still be undertaken but would not continue at previous levels.  All statutory requirements had and would continue to be met.

The current make-up of the team was outlined, at request, and Officers highlighted the current market shortage within the profession, which was highly regulated, requiring Officers to be of a certified competency to undertake all aspects of the role.

Acknowledging the increased and extended role the Team had undertaken throughout the Pandemic, at the request of the Chairman, Officers shared with the Committee the types of activity they had undertaken, and the pragmatic approach which had been adopted.  Formal action had only been taken when there had been no other option.  It was acknowledged how difficult the last 12 plus months had been on everyone, residents and business alike.

The Committee sought information as to what liabilities the Council had should there be a serious illness as a result of a food premise.  The Council’s duty was to follow up on any such complaints and to undertake inspections in line with a schedule set by the FSA, which was risk based. Liability and legal responsibility to ensure the required standards were met at all times sat with the premise. Assurance was offered that the Authority at all times had acted in line with the FSA’s direction, who had instructed authorities what premises it must inspect. 

Bringing the debate to a close the Chairman and Committee Members thanked and offered appreciation to the team for all the work undertaken, acknowledging the considerable pressure and new demands the service had been under since the outset of the Pandemic.  

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     the work undertaken by the Officers in the work area, in what has been, and still remains, the most challenging of times be noted and acknowledged;

(b)     the Food, Health and Safety Work Plan as detailed at Appendix 1, be approved; and

(c)     an update on performance against the FSA Recovery Plan be submitted to the Committee by January 2022 in order that the Committee can have assurance on progress being made, given the current circumstances raised through the report.