Food Safety : Advice to Business Policy

Aim

The aim of this policy is to ensure that food businesses are provided with the opportunity to receive advice from the Business Regulation

Service which reflects current statutory provisions and best practice in order to assist them with their statutory responsibility to comply with the law.

Review

This document will be reviewed in the event of any relevant substantial changes as necessary and also on an annual basis from the date of implementation.

Corrective Actions

If the policy document is not being adhered to corrective action will be taken which may include revision of the document or staff training, as appropriate.

Policy

It shall be the policy of this Authority to run training courses and seminars. These will be provided on the basis of the nature and extent of demand particularly for training specific to this Authority and subject to available financial resources.

Training will be provided in partnership with colleges within North Lanarkshire although this will be reviewed to consider utilising training skills from within the Service.

Officers have been advised that advice should be given, when requested, during routine visits and inspections.

Opportunities will be sought to set-up electronic means of delivering advice to businesses.

Consideration will be given to issuing business information sheets

It is the policy of the Authority to respond to all business queries timeously and to ensure that all advice and information provided is in accordance with current statutory provisions and best practice.

The Food Safety Service currently participates in an Ethnic Awareness Group principally to foster relationships within local ethnic businesses and to ensure compliance with the Race Relations Act Amendment Act 2000. Consideration will be given to forming other partnerships and forums in order to assist dialogue and communication.

Date of Previous Review - 28/04/2006

Date of Review -                   07/08/2008