Agenda item - Official Feed and Food Controls Service Plan 2018/19

Report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing

1)            That the committee agrees the Official Feed and Food Controls Service Plan 2018/2019 set out in the appendix to this report.

62.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing that requested approval of the Official Feed and Food Controls Service Plan 2018/19.

62.2      Referring to paragraph 3.5.11 of appendix 1, Councillor Littman noted that food-related infectious disease had gradually risen over the past three years and asked in the context of the decision made to reduce the service budget by £50,000 and the related equalities impact assessment that had outlined that the current level of service could not be maintained, how such rises could be reversed or stopped. Furthermore, in relation to paragraph 4.3.2 Councillor Littman asked if the field officers referred to were the same as those recently agreed by Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities (NICE) Committee.

62.3      The Head of Safer Communities clarified that the field officer role was different to that recently approved by NICE Committee and a statutory qualification was required for the role outlined in the report. In relation to service budget reductions, any incident of food-related infectious disease would always be prioritised and in such an occurance, it was likely that routine inspection work would be reduced whilst complaints were investigated.

62.4      Councillor West stated his concern relating to the budget reduction to the service and he believed it would be more difficult for officers to respond to a high-priority incident. Councillor West noted that there were a rising number of complaints in relation to the condition of premises and that could in turn lead to reputational damage to the city with the service unable to conduct sufficient, regular inspections.

62.5      RESOLVED- That the committee agrees the Official Feed and Food Controls Service Plan 2018/2019 set out in the appendix to this report.