Food Safety : Food Service Plan

Section 1 : Service Aims and Objectives

1.1 Aims and Objectives

North Lanarkshire Council is committed to safeguarding and, wherever possible, improving the health, welfare and safety of everyone living and working within this Authority.

The following aims and objectives have been identified as being fundamental to this process.

1.      To place the safety of the public foremost. 

2.      To inspect all food premises within at least the minimum targets which have been set for inspection purposes and ensure that a proportionate and consistent enforcement policy is adhered to in regard to food safety matters. 

3.      To undertake a programme of food sampling to ensure that food is of the nature, quality and substance demanded by the public and to take appropriate action to remove any unsatisfactory foodstuffs identified in this process. 

4.      To respond appropriately to food alerts as required by the Food Standards Agency. 

5.      To investigate food complaints and initiate legal proceedings where this is deemed to be in the public interest. 

6.      To offer advice and guidance to the public and the food retailers/manufacturers within this Authority for the purposes of assisting in developing food safety awareness and/or achieving compliance with statutory requirements. 

7.      To prepare reports and other food related data for other Departments within the Authority, the Food Standards Agency and other relevant Agencies to demonstrate transparency, ensure compliance with legislation and provide a co-ordinated approach to food related matters. 

8.      To place a high priority on developing a programme of training within schools and the private sector to assist and/or improve food related skills and knowledge. 

9.      To investigate instances of food or water borne diseases within North Lanarkshire in a co-ordinated approach with relevant Health Authorities. 

10.  To respond promptly and courteously, in accordance with good customer care practice, to all recipients of our services. 

11.  To aim to deliver an improvement in public confidence in the way food safety issues are monitored and enforced within North Lanarkshire.

1.2  Links to corporate objectives and plans

The Food Service Plan is linked with the Environmental Services Service Plan and North Lanarkshire Council's Corporate Plan and Race Equality Action Plan.

Environmental Services Service Plan Mission Statement is –

"Environmental Services will protect our communities through the development of quality services, to enrich your life and meet your needs through environmental maintenance and development."

The provision of safe food is a key factor in this process and the aims and objectives set out in the Food Service Plan reflect this and are recognised as an essential element of the Plan.

The Corporate Plan 2004 – 2008 identifies key priority themes. Food Safety Service links with these themes are as follows :-

Stimulating Business and Economy

 ·         strengthen links between employers, the community, schools,      

       colleges and businesses

 ·         participate in a Lanarkshire Local Economic Forum

 ·         work with the business community to ensure good relationships and effective regulation

 Promoting Social Inclusion

 ·         implement the specific actions detailed in the Social Inclusion

       Strategy for North Lanarkshire

·         providing free food safety training in specific categories in order to assist with social inclusion

·         provision of food safety literature and correspondence in a variety of different languages along with access to interpreters in order to promote social inclusion

 Encouraging Life Long Learning

 ·         promote and assist with the development of food safety skills within

       schools

 ·         develop training to include voluntary sectors

 Promoting Health, Well-being and Care

 ·         seek and develop opportunities with other Departments within the

       Council and other Agencies with the aim of improving health, well-

       being and care.

 Promoting Community Safety and Development

 ·         progressing initiatives particularly in partnership with the Food

       Standards Agency in order to promote Food Safety issues amongst   

       the community

 Developing the Organisation

 ·         improve service delivery by developing intranet and internet

       opportunities

·         progressing the staff training and development programme

·         introduction of a new computer system

·         develop opportunities to promote food safety initiatives particularly amongst local schools in partnership with the Education Department

In regard to racial equality the Council has agreed a Race Equality Action Plan. As part of this process all Food Safety policies and procedures have been reviewed in order to ensure compliance with statutory race equality requirements. This process will be ongoing in order to make any amendments which are necessary in order to reflect any changes in statutory requirements or other relevant factors.

So far as Best Value is concerned there has been no time scale set although it is envisaged that this process may commence in the near future.

Environmental Services embraces quality services as a key value and this commitment is reflected in the Food Safety Service achieving Chartermark status in 2007.

There is cross linkage with North Lanarkshire's Enforcement Concordat Plan reflecting the need for a consistent and transparent approach to Food Safety enforcement.

Finally the Council's Food Safety Service aims to support and work together with the Food Standards Agency in all food related matters.

Section 2 : Background

2.1   Profile of the Local Authority

North Lanarkshire is the fourth largest authority in Scotland with a population of 322,790 (154930 males and 167860 females) and an area of 47,648 hectares. It is situated approximately half way between the major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and many of its residents live in the six main towns of Airdrie, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Bellshill, Wishaw and Motherwell.

The council has one of the 'youngest' populations in Scotland with a higher proportion of people under 35 than the national average. 23% of the population are aged less than 18 years of age, 60% are adults of working age, and 17% are pensioners. 1.3% of the population are from an ethnic minority group.

North Lanarkshire is in the midst of a process of major social, economic and environmental change. Major economic restructuring has taken place in recent years as the older industries of steel and heavy engineering have declined and closed making way for newer industries. This has required a process of re-generation which is perhaps best illustrated in the Ravenscraig initiative whereby work is now proceeding with large commercial and residential developments on the former steelworks site. This process of economic re-generation will continue and is greatly assisted by the strategic location of North Lanarkshire in regard to links to the South via the M73 and M74 and to Glasgow and Edinburgh via the A8/M8 motorways.

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