Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the updated 2009-2010 Food and Agriculture Service Plan as set out in Appendix C.

1.2. This paper seeks to

· set out the background to the project

· consider the finance for the project and the impact on the budget

· look at key issues.

2. Contextual information

2.1. In September 2008, the Executive Member for Policy and Resources considered and approved the statutory Food Service Plan for 2008-2009. The Plan has now been subjected to its annual review.

2.2. The report draws out key features of the proposed 2009-2010 Food and Agriculture Service Plan which is set out in accordance with statutory requirements.

3. Finance

3.1. The plan proposes no significant changes which would require any additional funding.

4. Performance

4.1. The primary aim of the food standards team is to promote and enforce animal health and welfare and food and agriculture safety laws. Food control has a high profile within Europe and nationally. The key controls:

· Ensure that food is safe to eat, ensuring that additive levels are adhered to, that food is not contaminated and that any allergenic ingredients are properly controlled

· Ensure that food is labelled correctly to ensure that an informed choice can be made, including the ability to make a healthy choice. This involves ensuring that labels are not misleading and provide the necessary required information. This is particularly important where health or nutrition claims are made and to mitigate against fraudulent claims

· Ensure that action is taken to manage food incidents and link into the strategic priorities that include: consumer advice; supporting vulnerable consumers; education issues; fraudulent trading; home authority business support; local business advice.

5. Key features of the 2009/2010 Plan

5.1 Integrated Service - The County Council delivers a fully integrated food enforcement system via a specialist team of Trading Standards Officers, Public Analysts, Food Scientists and Animal Health Inspectors.

5.2 Targeted Interventions (Food Safety and Food Hygiene) - In order to enforce and promote food safety laws, the service will carry out targeted interventions to food manufacturers, producers, retailers and primary producers using a risk-based approach. The interventions will be designed to highlight quality control problems and to offer technical and legal advice to Hampshire businesses. The Service will concentrate on our high-risk food premises. Enforcement action will only be taken as a last resort to deal with wilfully non-compliant businesses.

5.3 FoodSmart - This is an innovative product designed to help students learn about healthy eating in a fun and interesting way. The aim of the FoodSmart pack is to provide information on general food legislation and healthy eating and nutrition to students aged 11-16 years (key stages 3 and 4). It is designed to assist students to better understand the composition and labelling of foodstuffs which will enable them to make healthier choices. The project also provides advice to students on nutritional issues and suggests simple ways that fat, salt and sugar consumption can be reduced. FoodSmart is a complete educational pack for teachers and contains comprehensive notes, information and activity cards that can be used by the students which contain additional internet activities, and most importantly, through the inclusion of lesson plans. Further work is being planned to target an improved product towards key stage 2 pupils.

5.4 Healthy Eating - "Food - the choice is yours" will continue into its fourth year and be updated to reflect recent changes. The campaign includes a dedicated website www.hants.gov.uk/food, distribution of healthy eating leaflets and nutrition cards.

5.5 Nippers Nutrition - This is a new innovation and involves working with a number of Hampshire nursery schools to assess the nutritional values of meals given to young children by schools in this sector.

5.6 Focused Sampling - In 2008/9 over 1200 food samples were tested, of which 42% were unsatisfactory. Although most of these related to non-compliant labelling, the high failure rate shows the value of this targeted sampling programme. The 2009/10 target is 1200 samples. A number of other food samples will be subject to more in-depth analysis and used for research and development.

5.7 Animal Health - The continuing controls throughout Hampshire and much of the country relating to the outbreak of Bluetongue Disease are monitored on a daily basis. While it does not have the same impact as Foot and Mouth, the controls imposed needed to be acted on by the County Council and there are still ongoing concerns. In addition to such diseases is the constant threat posed by Avian Influenza and the need for the County Council to be prepared for an outbreak. Last year over 1000 animal health visits were made which included visits to farms. The 2009/10 target for farm visits is approximately 700. Constant updates and developments are being made to the Animal Disease Contingency Plans to deal with the threats from Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Flu, Bluetongue Disease and Rabies, in conjunction with the Emergency Planning unit.

5.8 Agriculture - Additional Animal Feed Hygiene legislation has been introduced and visits have been carried out to farm premises to check on compliance. This has required specific interest in the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) based principles for the production of animal feeds. To support the County Council's "farm to fork" approach to food control, five key animal feed producers will be inspected to ensure that feeds are free from contaminants and are nutritionally sound.

5.9 Packaging - Work continues to reduce as far as possible excess packaging on food products, to ensure as little waste as possible is created, commensurate with maintaining good food quality, safety and hygiene.

5 Future direction

6.1 There is a statutory requirement for the County Council to have in place a Food and Agriculture Service Plan which is in accordance with the Food Agency's Framework Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Enforcement.

6 Recommendation(s)

That the updated 2009-20010 Food and Agriculture Service Plan at set out in appendix 1 be approved.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

Race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

The County Council has a legal obligation under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to consider the impact of all the decisions it makes on the prevention of crime. The proposals in this report may impact on the detection of crime in relation to food fraud and offences associated with animal disease, movements and welfare.

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

Work with local food producers, Hampshire Farmer Markets and Hampshire Fare helps to encourage local food production and purchase which may have a beneficial effect on reducing so-called `food miles' and reduce adverse environmental impact.

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

The plan proposes no significant changes which would adversely affect the impact of the service on climate change.