Food safety team's 100 per cent inspection record -
08/02/07
The Vale of Glamorgan Council's food safety team has been
congratulated on its 100 per cent record in terms of premises
needing to be inspected in 2005/06.
There are approximately 1,030 premises within the Vale in which
food or drink is manufactured, processed, stored or sold, including
around 320 classified as high risk, and Cabinet Member for Legal
and Public Protection Cllr Chris Franks said: "The continuing
excellent work of the team within the council's environmental
health division is ensuring consistently high standards of food
safety and consumer protection."
In addition to their programmed inspections, officers also
visit, on a risk basis, a range of other events such as shows and
concerts, and deal with more than 500 food related complaints
annually.
Promotion work in the coming year will include focusing on the
Welsh Food Hygiene Awards, improving awareness of primary school
pupils to the importance of good hand washing, promoting the
proposed smoking ban in public places and developing an enforcement
plan, monitoring the nutritional content of school meals in
conjunction with Vale Catering Services, and promoting and
facilitating food safety training for food handlers.
The Vale is one of just two Welsh local authorities selected to
take part in a Food Standards Agency "Scores on the Doors" pilot
scheme under which food premises will be graded on a 0 to 5 star
rating system following an inspection, with the information
displayed on the door or window of each outlet and supported by
information on the council website.
Cllr Franks said: "Similar schemes are operating in other
countries with some success, and the FSA will measure the success
of the pilots in this country on a number of issues including their
impact on hygiene standards, compliance with legislation, consumer
behaviour, costs and the level of business co-operation."