Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director Net Zero Exeter & City Management.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)        approve the Food Law and Health and Safety Service Plan 2021/22; and

(2)        authorise the Service Lead - Environmental Health and Community Safety to change the plan in the light of national guidance and/or to meet operational needs.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which sought approval to adopt the statutory Food Law and Health and Safety Service Plan 2021-22, which sets out the Council’s regulatory function in respect of food safety and health and safety over the forthcoming year.

The Director Net Zero Exeter and City Management explained that the Food Law Plan would show how the Council meets its regularity obligations in respect of food safety and the Health and Safety Services Plan demonstrates arrangements for enforcing health and safety. Particular reference was made to:-

·        the Council was generally responsible for non-industrial premises with the Health and Safety Executive being responsible for industrial premises;

·        the plans contained service aims and objectives, the 2021/22 action plan and the financial arrangements for providing the service;

·        the food safety programme had been affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic with a number of businesses closed or required to undertake Covid secure checks and compliance.

·        the Council was supporting the track and trace programme following changes made to national guidance, and the programme intended to catch up with the changes by June 2022;

·        the Council was required to recover its food inspection programme by March 2023; and

·        additional resources had been brought into the service because of ongoing Covid work paid for by Central Government funding.

The Portfolio Holder for Supporting People thanked the Director and the teams for their hard work during the Pandemic, who had been under considerable pressure and working additional hours.

Members acknowledged and expressed their thanks to the officers for the work that has been undertaken, during very challenging circumstances.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)        approve the Food Law and Health and Safety Service Plan 2021/22; and

(2)        authorise the Service Lead - Environmental Health and Community Safety to change the plan in the light of national guidance and/or to meet operational needs.