Food Service Plan 2024/2025

2 Aims

To help the residents and businesses of North Lincolnshire prosper in a safe, healthy, and clean environment and ensure that food produced, sold, or consumed in the council’s area is safe to eat and does not pose a risk to health the council will:

• Provide guidance and support to food businesses who operate within North Lincolnshire to allow them to achieve full compliance and meet their legal responsibilities.
• Achieve high levels of business compliance with legislation and support businesses through the targeting of the persistently non- compliant food business operators.
• Provide the residents of North Lincolnshire and visitors to the County confidence and reassurance in the compliance of food hygiene and food standards within food premises allowing them to make informed choices about where they choose to purchase and consume food and drink.
• Take a proportional and graduated approach to enforcement in accordance with the Regulators Code and the published enforcement policy Improve continuously the quality of service through the effective use and enhancement of staff skills and knowledge.
• Endeavour to implement related guidance issued by the Delivery Office.
• Support through our activities the Food Standards Agency strategic aims set out within the Food Standards Agency Strategy for 2022-2027, that food is safe, that food is what it says it is, that food is healthier and more sustainable and there is food you can trust.
• Complete the inspection programme as described in the Food Law Code of Practice.

2.1 Objectives

• Promote food safety via education, persuasion, and enforcement through interventions at inspections, maintaining information on the North Lincolnshire Council Website, providing a food advice service for food business operators.
• Operating a comprehensive compliance regime by means of a mix of inspection, testing, and other interventions as appropriate, to ensure the legality of food produced or marketed within or imported into North Lincolnshire.
• The investigation of complaints and infringements of food legislation and act in accordance with our Enforcement Policy and respond in a timely manner.
• To produce a structured sampling programme to establish the safety and quality of food on sale to the public, the wholesomeness of private drinking water supplies and the composition and accuracy of labelling of food.
• Ensure that food/water borne outbreaks and notifications are investigated in line with UKHSA Guidelines and receive prompt and effective response. Providing guidance to those affected and preventing the spread of communicable diseases within the
  local community.
• To liaise with other local authorities, partners, and stakeholders to ensure consistency and transparency.
• To respond promptly and effectively to food alerts and any threats to the safety of food sold or produced in North Lincolnshire.
• To participate in intelligence sharing with Strategic Partners, including Food Standards Agency, National Food Crime Unit, Local Authorities through liaison groups and Primary Authorities.
• Support the Primary Authority principle.

2.2 Links to Corporate Objectives and Plans

The Food Service Plan is a key operational delivery plan underpinning the Council Plan. It connects the council’s overarching ambition of #BestCouncil and #BestPlace, supporting the three council priorities:

• Enabling Economic Growth and Renewal
• Keeping People Safe and Well
• Enabling Resilient and Flourishing Communities

It ensures that our work is in line with our priorities and aligns resources accordingly which is underpinned by 4 key outcomes:

SAFE – WELL – PROSPEROUS – CONNECTED

The Council will, through the implementation of the Food Service Plan, work to improve the health and wellbeing of the residents and visitors of North Lincolnshire.

The Food Service Plan contributes towards the council’s priorities in the following ways:

• The inspection of food premises will encourage compliance with relevant legislation. This will increase consumer protection by safeguarding them from substandard and unsafe food entering the food chain, ensuring they stay safe and well.
• Providing business advice will assist the financial viability of local food businesses and help them succeed safely.
• Regulation of food businesses will contribute towards a ‘level regulatory playing field’ making it fairer for all business and better for those businesses that comply with food law.

3. Profile of North Lincolnshire

North Lincolnshire Council is a Unitary Authority, established in 1996, covering an area of around 85,000 hectares located on the southern side of the Humber estuary and occupying tracts of land on either side of the river Trent. It is a largely agricultural area and the pattern of settlements reflects this, with market towns surrounded by many small villages. At the centre of the area lies the industrial town of Scunthorpe, which developed in the late C19 as a centre of the steel industry. Although the industry is greatly diminished in scale, Scunthorpe is still one of the major centres of the British steel industry. Like all similar communities, however, the town is endeavouring to develop a more diverse economy to secure its future and the council has been successful in attracting several new enterprises to the area. Approximately 50% of the total population of North Lincolnshire live in the town and its immediate environs; and it serves as a centre for shopping, employment, and further education for the whole area.

The area has a total population of 169,680 (2021, ONS). The overall population density of North Lincolnshire is low compared to most English Unitary Councils.

The towns of Brigg, Barton-upon-Humber,  Kirton-in-Lindsey, Crowle and Epworth are, however, still important centres for the rural communities and, like Scunthorpe are developing economies, more in keeping with modern requirements.

There are 10 ports within the area, including Humberside Airport, which are liable to import food into this area. There has been a rapid expansion of container traffic at the North Killingholme terminal.

The council is responsible for delivering a full range of range of local government services. The authority is divided into 17 electoral wards represented by 43 councillors. Within the administrative area there are 8 Town Councils and 49 Parish Councils.

The cultural diversity of the local population has increased over recent years with the influx of many ethnic groups including representatives from the expanded European Union. The food industry in North Lincolnshire is thriving; there are several food manufacturing businesses which distribute nationally. Many of these companies produce a range of foods for the major supermarkets, pub/restaurant chains and the airline industry.

3.3 Service Delivery Points

Customer enquiries are via Scunthorpe Central which is located in the town centre and is available during normal office hours (9am to 5pm Mon to Thurs, 9am to 4.30pm Fri). Direct dial telephone capability is used to enhance the accessibility of the service.

An increasing amount of information is being made available via the council’s website and contact via email is encouraged.

Postal Address:
Church Square House,
30 – 40 High Street, Scunthorpe, DN15 6NL

An email address has been established for food safety related enquiries at: food.safety@northlincs.gov.uk

All Trading Standards consumer complaints are initially dealt with by the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (0345040506). Matters requiring further action or investigation are referred to the council.

3.4 Demands on the Food Service

The area contains a mix of retail, catering, and manufacturing premises. The manufacturing sector is eclectic in nature, as it is not based upon any primary industry. The businesses vary in nature from simple co-packing operations to complex food manufacturing enterprises. The retail and catering businesses range from major national traders to small and medium-sized enterprises. Provision has been made for leaflets to be put into native languages to address the needs of kitchen staff where this is needed. The council also has access to translation services should these be required.

Table 1: Premises Profile in North Lincolnshire

Approved Establishments approved for:

Food Standard Premises

3.5 Access to Expertise

The UKHSA (UK Health Security Agency) Laboratory at Sand Hutton near York provides bacteriological analysis of food and potable water. Faecal samples are sent to the Leeds Infirmary via a postal service. The laboratory provides bacteriological analysis of faecal
samples.

The Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, UKHSA North Yorkshire, and the Humber Team also at Sand Hutton near York provides specialist support in relation to infectious disease control.

The Director of Public Health provides specialist advice on health-related aspects of food safety.

ALS is used to carry out chemical and microbiological sampling of Private Water supplies.

Killgerm provide a free identification service for insects found in food premises or manifesting themselves as food complaints.

Public Analyst

The service has continuous dialogue and a good working relationship with the Public Analyst (Eurofins) on all matters concerned with Food Standards sampling and analysis. Officers are encouraged to contact the Public Analyst where appropriate to discuss sampling matters.

3.6 Enforcement Action

The Communities Enforcement Policy provides an umbrella policy for all enforcement work carried out by its divisions. Operating within this general enforcement framework are documented policies for the Food Service i.e., Inspection, Complaint Handling, Sampling, Enforcement of Legislation and dealing with matters of non- compliance. The council recognises the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Better Regulation Delivery Office 2014, whose principles are adopted when dealing with businesses.

For Food Standards work notice will be given to all A, B, and unrated premises prior to an inspection unless it defeats the object to do so.

The service also follows the Code of Conduct of the Crown Prosecution Service, which recognises that prosecution is only one of a suite of remedies that can be used, and that others may be considered more appropriate in many cases of non- compliance.

3.7 Complaints about North Lincolnshire Council or its Officers

North Lincolnshire Council has an established complaints procedure, which, in the first instance, requires complaints to be directed to the officer’s line manager, Team Leader, Food and Safety, should this not resolve the issues the complaint will be dealt with via the councils’ customer complaints and comments policy.

4 Premises Risk Profile

Food Hygiene and Food Standards inspections are assessed under the Food Standards Agency risk assessment system and should receive a programmed inspection at the following intervals:

Food Hygiene:

• A risk premises every 6 months.
• B risk premises every 12 months.
• C risk premises every 18 months.
• D risk premises every 24 months.
• E risk premises every 3 years or Alternative Enforcement Strategy
• Unrated premises risks Food assessed

Food Standards:

• A risk premises every 12 months.
• B risk premises every 24 months.
• C risk premises every 5 years.
• Unrated risk to be assessed.

4.1 Targeted Inspection Activity

The inspection programme is required to reflect the minimum inspection frequency dictated by the rating scheme contained in the FSA Food Safety Code of Practice.

Alternative Enforcement Strategy

Alternative Enforcement Strategy, via questionnaires will be used for Cat E. All (256) premises due/(50) overdue for an intervention will be sent a questionnaire. On return a Desktop inspection will be undertaken. Non returns, will receive on site inspection. Inspections will also be completed if a complaint is received.

In line with the objectives of the Better Regulation Delivery Office, officers also undertake health and safety project based interventions where appropriate and deal with any safety hazards when carrying out programmed food inspections; including Gas Safety for new businesses and raise any matters of evident concern observed during the Food Intervention.

Table 2: Inspection Programme 2024/2025

Premises Risk Profile (Food Hygiene)

Table 3: Showing additional inspections estimated in 2024/2025 in addition to the programmed inspections for Food Hygiene/Standards.

4.2 Service Requests/Complaints

Food complaints/ Service requests relating to Food Hygiene and Food Standards are received into the service via letter, email, or telephone calls. For Food Standards complaints are also received via the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline. For Food Hygiene and Food Standards, all complaints that refer to contamination, adulteration, composition, and labelling are investigated with a view to identifying the root cause of the problem to avoid it happening again.

Advice may be sought from the Yorkshire and Humber Trading Standards Group regional food group and the Humber Authorities Food Liaison Group if necessary for a consensus to ensure consistency.

Where appropriate, enforcement action will be taken, having regard to the Enforcement Policy, Codes of Practice, National Guidance, and legislation.

Food Hygiene/Premises complaints are responded to on a case-by-case basis. Complaints that are a risk to public health shall be dealt with same day or with a planned response time of 3 working days.

If necessary, the Food Standards Agency National Food Crime unit will be used to assist in food fraud investigations which are being carried out on a national basis.

4.3 Primary / Home Authority Scheme

There are no formal Home Authority or Primary Authority arrangements in place for Food issues as very few local manufacturers have their head office located within the area. However, support is provided to those companies, both directly and acting as an intermediary for enquiries from other Local Authorities. Whilst the council does not currently have any primary authority agreements with any businesses it will remain open to requests and will respect these arrangements where they are relevant to the enforcement of food law at premises in North Lincolnshire.

4.4 Advice to Business

The service offers comprehensive advice to any business for which the service is, or is likely to be, Home Authority, Originating Authority or Primary Authority for any part of the business based within the area.

This includes giving advice on legal and technical matters where officers have expertise; inspecting and approving premises and assisting in the resolution of queries involving other enforcement agencies.

Some elements of business advice are chargeable. Further details on business advice charges can be found on the council’s website.

Other ways of providing advice can be achieved through a range of activities:

•  Running courses or seminars if there is a demand for this type of activity.
• Written advice provided to a particular sector, for example if there is a significant change in legislation affecting that business sector.
• Advice given during inspections/interventions.
• Provision of advice via Leaflets and the Services Web Site/Facebook Page/Social media.
• Responding to specific enquiries received from food business operators.
• Support of national and local campaigns, such as nationally coordinated surveys.

4.5 Food Sampling

The Food Hygiene sampling programme includes the sampling of food and potable water, both public and private supplies. The programme is determined annually and comprises a local sampling programme in addition to contributions to national programmes co-ordinated by UKHSA. For potable waters the programme includes provision for the sampling of each of the 6 water supply zones supplied by Anglian Water and Yorkshire Water in North Lincolnshire and the sampling of the potable private water supplies in the council’s area.

The programme is designed around the seasonal availability and high-risk nature of certain foods and the results it generates contribute to the data collected nationally on the microbiological quality of ready to eat foods. Food samples are generally collected informally to allow the samples to be purchased in much the same way that a member of the public would have bought the food. All business proprietors are advised of the results of samples and unsatisfactory sample results are subjected to further detailed investigation.

Bacteriological analysis of food and water samples is provided by UKHSA. Following a procurement review the ALS Laboratory has been contracted to provide microbiological and chemical analysis of potable water. Humber Authorities Scientific Service (HASS) or Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) provide chemical analysis of food samples.

4.6 Food Alerts

Food Alerts are the Food Standards Agency’s way of letting the council and consumers know about problems associated with food and in some cases provide details of specific action to be taken. They are issued under three categories: Product Withdrawal/Product Recall Information Notices, Food Alerts for Information and Food Alerts for Action and they are received by direct email to the team.

Food Alerts are also received by the Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Trading Standards Officers and food trade organisations to alert them to current food issues.

4.7 Control & Investigation of Outbreaks & Food Related Infectious Diseases

The control and investigation of outbreaks and food related infectious disease is the responsibility of the Food and Safety Team. The fundamental principle of this role is to prevent the secondary spread of infectious disease.

We will investigate all cases and suspected cases excluding Campylobacter, food poisoning cases. These are notified to the council, either formally from UKHSA North Yorkshire and Humber Team or informally from other sources. The target is to achieve initial assessments within one working day of receipt. Where practicable initial assessments are conducted by telephone to establish food histories and/or common food links and to identify individuals (cases or contacts) working in high-risk environments which would pose a risk of further transmission. These cases or contacts are subject to a full investigation.

Establishments associated with confirmed or suspected cases are also investigated if within the council’s area or notified to the appropriate local authority for investigation. The Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, UKHSA North Yorkshire, and the Humber Protection Team with whom exclusion and clearance policies have been agreed, provides expert advice. Analytical services are provided jointly by the UKHSA Laboratory, in York for food, water and environmental testing and the laboratory in Leeds Infirmary for Faecal Samples.

We also aid other local authorities where cross boundary incidents may have arisen.

4.8 Food Safety Liaison

The council is committed to ensuring the Food Service is consistent with that of neighbouring authorities. Therefore, the council supports several national and local liaison groups to secure this aim.

The council receives and considers/implements guidance from the Food Standards Agency, Local Government Regulation, the Trading Standards Institute, and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. For Food Hygiene issues the authority is a member of The Humber Authorities Food Liaison Group, for Food Standards the Yorkshire and Humber Regional enforcement group (YAHTSG).

Within North Lincolnshire Council the Food and Safety team are representatives of the Smoke Free Alliance and Communities Group as part of the Public Health Agenda. Formalised liaison arrangements are also in place for the review of Planning/Building Control and Licensing applications made to the authority.

4.9 Food Safety Promotion

The council will continue to operate the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. This initiative provides the public with an easy to operate internet-based access to the council’s published food safety premises data and that of other local authorities that have joined the national scheme in a format that is easy for the public to understand.

The scheme has provided businesses with a window sticker for optional display on the premises. This is particularly helpful for members of the public who do not have access to the Internet. The publicising of the scoring scheme following inspections of food premises continues to have a positive effect on the compliance levels of businesses in North Lincolnshire and retains its popularity with members of the public who by using the scheme can make informed decisions about their food purchases. Currently the Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme website publishes the hygiene ratings of 1328 North Lincolnshire premises on its database as of 3 April 2024.

It is envisaged that there will be more involvement in matters pertaining to the health of North Lincolnshire residents in coming years. The Team will continue to support health improvements and initiatives by working with colleagues in the council’s Health Improvement Team on initiatives such as Smokefree Alliance, healthy eating initiatives and lifestyle choices.

Information can be found on the Council’s website.

Table 9: National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

4.10 Food Imports & Exports

Exports: The Food and Safety team produce Attestations for local Companies exporting composite food products (foods not containing products of animal origin) or for food products that the importing country allows entry without a formal Export Health Certificate, outside of the United Kingdom following the EU Exit that took place on the 31 January 2021. Additional training for officers was undertaken to ensure that the team has up to date knowledge.

Export health certificates for fish and fish products can be signed by Environmental Health Officers.

The number of Attestations generated in 2023/2024 was 399. The estimated number of Attestations to be generated in 2024/2025 is 400.

Imports: An increasing area of work is checking compliance of food products that have been imported into the United Kingdom from the EU and non-EU countries and are being sold in retail establishments inland. Checks include that the products are labelled in English, the products can be legally sold in the United Kingdom in particular products of animal origin, high risk products not of animal origin.

Import control legislation is enforced as appropriate to the circumstances and in accordance with the authority’s enforcement policy.

5 Resource

It is estimated, based on the average number of inspections required per year that a total of 6 FTE’s Hygiene and 2 FTE’s Standards is required. Currently, 1.2 FTE’s is allocated to Standards, and 4 FTE’s to hygiene.

The table at 5.1 details the resources that are allocated to each aspect of the food service. Projected statutory workload targets and discretionary activities will reflect the resource available to this service area.

5.1 Financial Allocation

The budget allocation for 2024/2025:

5.2 Administration

The Food Service is supported by the Technical Hub which provides call handling, administration, and some administration support in addition to providing a staffed contact and referral point for service users for a range of services based at Church Square House.

5.3 Staff Development Plan

Individual training needs are identified formally during Achieving Excellence Conversations held twice a year and 1:1 quarterly. The team completes its own training plan through this process. This formal process does not preclude additional training needs being
addressed during the year or prevent staff from taking advantage of other opportunities that may arise. Training will be provided using a range of techniques including formal qualifications; external training courses; online training packages, internal training courses; cascade training; shadowing and mentoring.

The Council supports all members of the team in maintaining continuing professional development (CPD) and encourages its Environmental Health Officers to maintain membership of the Chartered Institute and minimum CPD levels as required by the Food Safety
Code of Practice.

6 Peer Auditing

The Food Service will take part in any Inter Authority Auditing (IAA) Programme which will provide a peer review audit by the Humber Authorities Food Liaison Group in line with the Food Standards Agency audit principle, the subject as agreed at the Food Liaison Group Meeting.

We will also take part in the national risk rating validation exercise organised by the Food Standards Agency on annual basis.

6.1 Quality Assessment

The Service Plan includes several performance indicators against which the Service is assessed:

1. Number of Inspections completed
2. Number of Alternative Enforcement Strategy completed
3. Complaints responded to within 3 working days.

7  Review and variation against the Service Plan 2023/2024

This Food Service Plan will be formally reviewed annually to update the Service Plan and assess the previous year’s performance. The review process will set out any relevant improvement plan or service development identified as necessary by the review.

Table 11: Inspection Completed: Food Hygiene 2023/2024:

Table 12: Food Standards Inspection completed:

Realigning to FLCOP

The Food and Safety’s team work plan is to realign with the Food Law Code of Practice. This service plan is a risk based approach, high risk premises, Category A-Cs and non-compliant D’s take priority. Unrated premises are triaged and high risk premises are first to
be inspected. The team utilises Alternative Enforcement Strategies such as questionnaires for Category E premises in Hygiene and Category C premises for Standards. The Service plan has identified the requirement to reduce the backlog of inspections in particular Category D’s in Hygiene. Two members of the team who are currently undertaking the Higher Certificate in Food Control have been Authorised to undertake Low Risk food inspections under the supervision of Environmental Health Officers. It is intended that
50% of the outstanding Category D’s are completed in 2024/2025 and 50% in 2025/2026. Joint inspections of hygiene and standards are undertaken where appropriate to do so, and considering the Authorisation of Officers.

Table 13: Additional inspections carried out outside the tagged inspections for Food Safety.

Table 14: Alternative Enforcement Strategies Actions

7.2 Service Requests / Complaints

Complaints about food businesses and food products manufactured or sold in North Lincolnshire from consumers and business proprietors provide valuable intelligence regarding legal compliance and general standards. All complaints have been thoroughly investigated and appropriate guidance given, or enforcement action taken.

Table 15 – The number of Food Safety complaints received into the Food Safety Team in the year 2023/2024

7.3 Advice to business

Table 16 – The number of requests for Food Business advice – Food Hygiene/Food Standards

7.4 Food Safety Sampling

Food/Water and Environmental Sampling is recognised as an important part of the enforcement and monitoring of food safety/water quality compliance. The team sampling programme has regard to the inspection programme, centrally co-ordinated FSA and UKHSA
sampling initiatives, local and topical issues.

Table 18 – Number of water and food samples taken and number of Unsatisfactory results.

7.5 Food Alerts

Food alerts are sent to the Food Safety Team to inform us of any withdrawal of food items from sale.

Table 19 – the number of Food Alerts received in 2023/2024.

7.6 Control and Investigation of Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Diseases

The team worked closely with the UKHSA in providing an investigatory and advisory service for notified cases of food borne infectious disease.

Table 20 – Number of Infectious Disease Notifications and Suspected Food Poisoning.

7.7 Food Safety Liaison

The Food and Safety Team are statutory consultees for Premises Licenses and Street Trading Consents.

Table 21 – Number of consultations received in 2023/2024.

7.8 Peer Review

Peer review other activities included participation in the Inter Authority Audit regime with members of the Humber Authorities Food Liaison Group and the Food Standards Agency consistency exercise for scoring premises using the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

A consistency rating exercise was undertaken by the FSA in the year 2023/2024 following participation we were found to be consistent with other Local Authorities. The decision to not complete the Inter Authority Audit was a Humber Food Liaison group.

7.9 Performance Indicator 2023/2024

Table 22: Performance Indicator to respond to complaints/service requests within three working days.

;

7.10 Recruitment

In November 2022 we recruited the two temporary Food and Safety Practitioners into permanent full time posts. These Officers have now completed the Regulatory Support Officer Qualification with Distinction and are currently completing the Higher Certificate in Food Control.

The Apprentice Environmental Health Officer is vacant.

A Full time Environmental Health Officer has been employed, but is currently on Maternity Leave due to return in the Autumn.

7.11 Formal Action Prosecutions

The inspections/ interventions resulted in Officers issuing

• 256 letters (Hygiene)
• 40 letters (Standards)
• the service of 4 Hygiene Improvement Notices.
• 2 Voluntary Surrender schedules of food items
• 3 Voluntary Closures of businesses.

7.12 Future Considerations

• To continue to realign to the FSA Food Law Code of Practice as the minimum expectation for Local Authorities.
• Preparation and implementation of the of the food standards delivery model.
• Preparation and delivery of the food hygiene delivery model.
• Consider the best role to fill the vacant Apprentice EHO post. (e.g. Regulatory support officer, Food Safety Officer)
• To carry out FSA guidance in relation to contacting all those businesses that have put in a food registration signposting them to food safety advice.
• To continue to integrate the Food Standards service into the team by improving record keeping, continuing development of forms, monitoring performance with regards to food standards to mirror food hygiene element of the service.
• To continue with the Alternative Enforcement Strategy for C rated premises for Food Standards for the back log of category Cs.
• To establish performance indicators for Standards/Hygiene, to implement any changes these reports have identified.