Issue - meetings

            The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health which provided an update on the work of Halton’s Food Safety and Standards Team, in particular the ongoing operation of the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and proposed changes to the law on allergen labelling. The report examined how well the food businesses in Halton were performing in relation to the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and new and developing issues with regard to Food Safety and Standards.

            The Board was advised that the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme was now an integral part of the good premises inspection programme. The Council had adopted the national scheme in 2011.

            The Authority was still required by the Food Standards Agency to submit an annual service plan which included a detailed risk based inspection programme for all the Borough’s food premises. Following an unannounced food hygiene inspection businesses were awarded a score from 0-6  based on the inspection findings. The score was available on the Food Standards Agency’s website. Window stickers were also provided to enable the business to display the score on the premises.

            In practice, only those premises with the higher ratings of 3 and above voluntarily display their score. There was no current legal requirement in England for all businesses to display their score. The Food Standards Agency was committed to making the display of ratings in the UK mandatory, however this would require legislation to pass through UK parliament. The Board agreed that a letter would be sent to both local Members of Parliament requesting that they called upon the Secretary of State to urge that mandatory food signage be displayed in all food premises in England.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the report and the overall improvement in food hygiene standards be noted; and

2.    a letter be sent to both local Members of Parliament requesting that they call upon the Secretary of State to urge that mandatory food signage be displayed in all food premises in England