Regulatory Services

Food and Agriculture Service Plan

2009 - 2010

This Service Plan is issued under the authority of:

Nigel Snape - Head of Regulatory Services

..................................................

Regulatory Services, Montgomery House, Monarch Way, Winchester

SO22 5PW

Tel: 01962 833620. www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory

Copy Number: 1. Issued to: Karen Murray -Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

This Food Service Plan forms part of the Official Quality System of Hampshire County Council's Regulatory Services. It is available electronically for all staff and is on the Regulatory Services website for access by businesses and the general public. Hard copies are held by the Director (Copy 1) and Head of Service (Copy 2).

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL. REGULATORY SERVICES.

FOOD SERVICE PLAN 2009-10

Executive Summary

This Service Plan describes the key objectives relating to Hampshire County Council's food enforcement function. It is a statutory responsibility to update this plan, which is audited from time to time by the Food Standards Agency. The primary aim of the food standards team is to promote and enforce compliance with animal health, welfare and food and agriculture safety laws. Key features of the plan include:

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

· Targeted Interventions (Food Safety and Food Hygiene) - In order to enforce and promote compliance, we will carry out targeted interventions to food manufactures, 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. We will concentrate on high-risk food premises. Enforcement action will only be taken as a last resort to deal with wilfully non-compliant businesses.

· FoodSmart -This is an innovative project, 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, 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, with comprehensive notes, information and activity cards that can be used by the students, and additional internet activities for inclusion in lesson plans.

· Healthy Eating "Food - the choice is yours" will continue into its fifth year and will 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.

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

· Animal Health - Last year 1000 animal health visits were made, which included visits to farms. These were both advisory visits and enforcement visits. With the continued threat of Animal Disease, constant updates and developments are being made to the Animal Disease Contingency Plans. These plans deal with the potential threats from Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Flu, Bluetongue Disease, Swine Vesicular Disease and Rabies. Planning is done in conjunction with the Emergency Planning department. There has been close liaison with Defra Animal Health in relation to the Service Plan agreement being put into place for 2009/10. This will link to National Indicator 190.

· Agriculture - Animal Feed Hygiene legislation is now in force and visits have been carried out to farm premises to check on compliance. This has required specific interest in HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) based principles for the production of animal feeds. To support the County Council's `farm to fork' approach to food control, 12 major animal feed producers will be inspected to ensure that feeds are free from contaminants and are nutritionally sound.

· Packaging - Efforts will continue to work with food manufacturers and importers to reduce excessive packaging in pre-packed foods. Opportunities will be taken to alert residents to this issue and invite examples of over-packaged products.

1. SERVICE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1.1. Aims and Objectives

The Regulatory Services vision is:

To create a regulatory framework that is safe, relevant and responsive to the public and wider business community

Regulatory Services aims to protect the public and business by ensuring a fair and safe trading environment in Hampshire. This is achieved by giving advice and carrying out interventions relating to consumer law. Priorities are established by using a risk assessment approach. Specifically, in relation to animal health, food safety and animal feeding stuffs, activities include: sampling programmes, response to complaints, awareness and education campaigns and provision of specialist advice to traders.

The Food Team objectives are:

Aims:

To promote and enforce food and agriculture safety laws and animal health and welfare

Objectives:

· To respond to requests by all businesses for advice on compliance with food, feeds and animal health legislation including operation of the Home Authority principle.

· To carry out an effective risk-based programme of sampling, analysis and checking of food and animal feeding stuffs (feeds) for composition and labelling.

· To respond to consumer complaints about animal health, food and feed safety and quality, working in partnership with central government, other local government agencies and industry to provide a seamless service to customers.

· To carry out specific food & feeds safety campaigns to highlight potential areas of good or bad practice in food trade to the public.

· To carry out an effective risk based programme of animal health and welfare inspections and to react to outbreaks in accordance with DEFRA guidance.

· To carry out Food Standards Interventions in accordance with Food Standards Agency and LACORS risk assessment and to ISO 9001 Quality Standards.

1.2. Links to Corporate Priorities

Hampshire County Council has three Corporate Priorities, namely

· Hampshire safer and more secure for all

· Maximising wellbeing

· Enhancing our quality of place.

This corporate vision forms the philosophy that drives the County Council and provides a framework for service planning and delivery. The food plan links to the corporate priorities as follows:

Hampshire County Council is a major supplier of food. Hampshire Caterers (HC3S) prepare approximately ten million meals per annum for schools, adult services establishments, staff restaurants and public outlets. Each year the Scientific Service carry out £89,518 worth of tests and inspections to ensure the quality of the food it serves. Tests include microbiological quality, nutritional quality and genetic modification. Food suppliers are inspected by trained auditors and must comply with product specifications. This scheme is featured as best practice on the Food Vision website.

2. Background

2.1. Profile of Hampshire County Council

Hampshire is mainly rural with Andover, Basingstoke, Winchester, Aldershot, Farnborough, Fareham and Eastleigh being the main urban areas.

Hampshire County Council provides essential Services for the 1.27 million people living in Hampshire. Over 30,000 staff deliver a wide range of services including children services, adult services, libraries, museums, country parks and regulatory services.

Hampshire County Council is responsible for regulating some 26,427 trade premises including 7419 food establishments, 3800 livestock holdings and 526 animal feed premises.

Regulatory Services of Hampshire County Council combines the expertise of Trading Standards Officers and Public Analysts under a single management team. The Service benefits from an integrated, project-managed approach to food sampling, analysis, inspection, advice, education and enforcement.

Over the last five years, Hampshire County Council has carried out food inspections and food sampling as shown below:

In addition to the full food standards inspections above, 395 other food compliance visits were carried out. A similar high level of adverse samples required follow-up required action. Importantly, 100% of the 145 high-risk premises were inspected, which forms part of the Corporate Performance Assessment (CPA).

The target for 2009/10 is approximately 850 interventions, of which 164 are in the high-risk category. The intervention strategy is in line with the requirements of the Food Standards Agency's new Food Law Code of Practice this year and the requirements of the Regulators Compliance Code. Resources will also be used to promote healthy eating and offer legal and technical advice to businesses. Work will continue on examining and implementing new services to businesses aimed at alternative approaches to inspections.

The number of adverse samples remains at a high level of 42%. Considerable effort is put into following up these adverse samples with manufacturers and importers. The 2009/109 target is 1200 samples. A number of these samples will be directed at more in-depth analysis and research to ensure the composition of the foods sampled do not contain undeclared ingredients, contaminants or additives which could cause harm to the consumer.

The County Council runs its own Public Analyst laboratory, employing 26 full-time equivalent staff conducting over 100,000 tests per annum on a wide range of samples. The laboratory is appointed Public Analyst to 36 other food authorities outside Hampshire.

2.2. Organisational Structure

Regulatory Services is part of the Property, Business, Regulatory and IT Department of Hampshire County Council. Regulatory Services report through the Director to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources who is also the Leader of the County Council.

Since 2001, the County Council has operated an Executive Panel structure.

The relationship between County Council Members and the food function is shown below:

The Director Property, Business, Regulatory and IT Services, Head of Regulatory Services, together with the Assistant Heads of Regulatory Services form the Regulatory Services Management Group which sets the Enforcement Policy and formulates the overall Service Plan.

The Assistant Head of Regulatory Services, in conjunction with other Senior Managers and food experts, identifies a yearly food service plan which includes inspection, actions to redress complaints, sampling and food education and promotion activities.

The Assistant Head of Regulatory Services is responsible for the specification, delivery, monitoring and review of all food and agriculture projects. The Food Service Plan is delivered by a 16 strong Food & Agriculture Standards Team that works closely with food scientists, analysts and technologists from the Public Analyst laboratory.

A policy group meets quarterly to discuss and review strategic issues. The terms of reference of this Food & Agriculture Safety Team (FAST) are given at Appendix 1.

2.3. Scope of the Food Enforcement Function

Employees of Hampshire County Council deliver the Food Enforcement Function. The County Council has no responsibility for food hygiene enforcement, this is the responsibility of the District Council Environmental Health services. However there is a duty placed upon the service to enforce food hygiene at primary production level, for example livestock and arable farms. Hampshire Scientific Service carries out examination of food complaints for Environmental Health services on a contractual basis.

This plan also includes all agricultural enforcement and all animal health and welfare activities, so represents a "farm to fork" approach to food law enforcement.

Where appropriate, other relevant inspections (e.g. safety, pricing and weights and measures) are carried out at the time of the food standards inspection. This will depend upon the premise type and the risk assessment attached to that premise. This provides a single inspection by the service of food premises.

The relevant areas of the food service are delivered as follows:

2.3.1. Food Standards Interventions

The Food Standards Team delivers these via staff trained in food law, food science and ISO 9001 auditing techniques.

2.3.2. Food Analysis

The Laboratory's Food Science Group carries out most food analysis. Most feed analysis is carried out at Kent Scientific Services under a partnership agreement.

2.3.3. Dealing with Food & Agriculture Complaints:

Food and agriculture complaints are initially processed by Consumer Direct, the County or District Councils, but are then passed on to the responsible authority for action. Specific cases are then dealt with by the Food Standards function.

2.3.4. Animal Health & Welfare

The Animal Health and Welfare Officers provide advice and support to stockholders and the farming community on animal welfare and disease control. They also enforce the provisions of the Animal Health Act 1981, particularly where it relates to animal disease prevention measures, e.g. Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Flu and Bluetongue Disease outbreak measures. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 provides the framework to deal with welfare issues. These officers visit livestock holders in Hampshire to ensure the correct keeping of animal records and identification of individual animals where necessary. The Act also covers the welfare of animals in transport. While carrying out this role any welfare concerns of livestock animals are dealt with, in partnership with Veterinary Officers of DEFRA Animal Health

2.4. Demands on the Food Service

There are 7419 identified food establishments in Hampshire. The greatest proportion are in the categories of retailer and restaurant/caterers. The other key premises are 2 slaughterhouses, 508 manufacturers/packers, 28 importers/exporters, 204 distributors, 2017 retailers, 3697caterers/restaurants, 4 packaging manufacturers and 460 feed premises including feed mills, importers, head offices and certain farms.

For Home Authority companies producing the following foods, we have identified the need for in-house specialist knowledge as a result of the complex legislation and processes:

· Mineral and Spring Waters. (e.g. Hildon).

· Chocolate. (e.g. Bendicks)

· Tea. (e.g. Twinings)

· Speciality imported foods (e.g. Petty Wood)

· Watercress and salads (e.g. Vitacress)

· Ice Cream Manufacturers (e.g. New Forest Ice Cream Co.)

· Meat Products (e.g. Chitty Foods)

Specialist knowledge is required to deal with various agriculture and animal health issues:

· Animal feeds (e.g. Feed Mills)

· Horse Markets (New Forest Pony Sales)

· Livestock on common land (New Forest)

· Animal by-products

· Contingency Planning

2.5. Enforcement Policy

Guidance on Hampshire's enforcement policy is given on the Service's website. Internal quality procedures are documented (Ref: QPLP 1). The Enforcement Policy encompasses the requirements of the Regulators Compliance Code. The Internal Quality Procedures also incorporate a policy on potential conflicts of interest in respect of County Council premises.

2. SERVICE DELIVERY

3.1. Food and Feedingstuffs Premises Inspections

An inspection may be a programmed inspection of premises based on risk assessment, or may form part of a project. Such projects arise from our own observations of areas that require a more in-depth examination, or from regionally-driven sampling plans. In accordance with the `Hampton' principles, inspection of business premises is only carried out with a reason, such as risk or intelligence received.

3.1.1. Food Premises Interventions

Food Standards interventions at trade premises are carried out in accordance with published Food Standards Agency and the Local Authority Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) risk assessment guidelines. Samples may be taken from premises outside the inspection programme.

By applying the risk assessment criteria to Hampshire's 7400 food premises, the following profile was established:

Food establishments

High-risk visits will only be conducted by those officers who satisfy the criteria set out in the Food Enforcement Code of Practice. In particular, Lead Assessor qualified persons, (or equivalent), will carry out all high-risk inspections. A full ISO 9001 accredited quality audit is carried out at selected highest risk premises according to in-house procedures.

The table shows that the team will concentrate on high risk premises and medium risk premises will only be inspected in line with the Regulators Compliance Code. The lower target for medium risk reflects the County Council's response to the Hampton Principles for better regulation in targeting those areas which intelligence would suggest require the highest priority. It will only inspect low risk premises to follow up a complaint or as part of a special project.

The policy to reduce medium risk inspections targets is in line with recommendations outlined in the Regulators Compliance Code. The Hampton report emphasises that Authorities should be reducing inspections as they are an unnecessary burden on UK businesses and should only be carried out when there is a reason. It also reflects the Food Standards Agency's priorities for delivering food education and promotion.

3.1.2. Animal Feed Premises Interventions

Animal Feed Standards inspections of trade premises are carried out in accordance with LACORS risk assessment guidelines. Samples may be taken from premises outside the inspection programme

This gives the following profile for Hampshire's Animal Feed producers:

Animal Feed Establishments

Inspections at High Risk premises will involve an assessment of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems in place. It is intended that all packers will be visited. There are 3417 livestock premises and a proportion of these will be subject to work carried out by Animal Health and Welfare officers. This will now include Primary Production relating to feeds. A minimum of 60 Animal Feed samples will be taken.

Additional animal Feed Hygiene legislation rules are also based on HACCP control principles for the production of animal feeds, and will include arable farms producing feed materials.

3.1.3. Other Food and Feedingstuffs Standards Work

Estimates for other food and feed standards work in addition to interventions are shown below:

Additional interventions may be conducted in response to:

· Complaints and Home Authority referrals

· Projects - internal and regional

· Business inquiries

· New legislation

· Food Alerts

The themed local, regional and national sampling projects for this year are:-

Nursery nutrition

Minced Beef (fat and species)

Salt levels

Undeclared use of genetically modified cooking oils in catering.

Imported Foods

Nutrition in cheap foods

Animal Feeds - presence of undeclared Genetically Modified Organisms

Imported products containing milk & soya - Melamine

Sausages & burgers - full meat content including soya

Flour & processed cereal based products - presence of mycotoxins.

Side dishes - salts, fats, saturates

Food aimed at children marked as healthy - fat, saturates, sugar & salt

Any food bearing a claim - sugars, fat, saturates or sodium.

3.1.4. Animal Health Work

Estimates for all animal health & welfare work in 2009/10 are shown below:

3.2. Food and Feedingstuffs Complaints

Food complaints are investigated in line with documented procedures. In accordance the Enforcement Code of Practice, procedures have been agreed, through the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Food Liaison Group and implemented for the transfer of complaints between the Service and the relevant Environmental Health Department.

Estimate of consumer complaints for 2009/10 - 750

Resources - 250 person days per annum

3.3. Home Authority Principle

Hampshire County Council is committed to LACORS Home Authority Principle and responds accordingly.

No. of Home Authority food/feed businesses - 87

Resources - 87 person days per annum

3.4. Advice to Business

In addition to Home Authority commitment, the service provides advice and information to businesses on a reactive and proactive basis. This is achieved through:

_ A dedicated telephone advice line

_ Advice during inspections and visits

_ Production and distribution of guidance notes for particular legislation or goods

_ Dialogue with businesses and contact via our Buy with Confidence Scheme

_ Presentations & seminars. (e.g. Farmers Markets, Forest Friendly Farming)

_ A new project to examine new approaches for services to businesses as an alternative to inspections - for example for new medium and low risk premises contact is made at an early stage inviting contact so that advice and support can be given.

Estimate of time spent per annum - 200 days.

3.5. Food and Feedingstuffs Inspection and Sampling.

3.5.1. Sampling Policy

Hampshire County Council places an emphasis on food sampling and analysis as a food enforcement tool. This has been demonstrated by consistently high levels of sampling for many years.

Imported Food - incorporated in the sampling plan and projects is a commitment to sample a proportion of imported foods. This involves sampling from Home Authority companies based in Hampshire who import food products.

Our Scientific Service play a major role in coordinating a number of other authorities in the region involved in the Food Standards Agency Imported Food Project

Sampling will be conducted where appropriate

_ as a feature of food and feed premises inspections including Home Authority businesses. Priority is given to sampling at Hampshire-based food manufacturers. Statistical sampling is performed at food manufacturers and importers.

_ during the approval process of feeding stuffs establishments and intermediaries

_ in response to complaints

_ for identified internal, regional and national projects

_ priority is given to foods and feeds produced, manufactured or imported into Hampshire

Formal sampling will be conducted in accordance with the Food Enforcement Code of Practice. A programme of informal sampling projects is also undertaken. This enables technical officers and laboratory staff to play a more active role in sampling projects. This releases Trading Standards Officers to concentrate on inspection. Sampling work is conducted to determine compliance with food standards, feedingstuffs standards and to monitor the effectiveness of manufacturing processes and associated quality systems.

Statistical sampling is carried out on manufactured foods and feeds when multiple sampling will give a better indication of process control.

The analysis and examination of Hampshire's food and agricultural samples is carried out by Hampshire's in-house laboratory and by its partner laboratory Kent Scientific Services based in West Malling, Kent. Most animal feeds and samples for pesticide residue tests are analysed at the latter.

It is estimated that 20 samples will be submitted in 2008/09 in relation to complaints. This will require the following resources: 10 person days per annum for sampling food complaints and 10 person days for analysis of food complaints.

3.5.2. Analysis for Authorities other than Hampshire

In addition to the food analysis carried out for Hampshire County Council and the 11 District & Borough Councils within Hampshire, the laboratory carries out tests for 36 other Food Authorities on a fee-paying basis.

Hampshire's Scientific Service works in partnership with Kent Scientific Services to provide Public Analyst services for the following food authorities:

3.6. Control and Investigation of Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Disease

While recognising the service has no direct responsibility in relation to Outbreaks and Food Related Infectious Diseases it will liaise and assist where appropriate those authorities to which such responsibility is given. All members of the Food Team are authorised by the Minister under the Food & Environment Protection Act to deal with any food-related environmental problems.

3.7. Food Safety Incidents

The Service will act in accordance with the Food Enforcement Code of Practice and internal procedures to:

_ identify and report food and animal feed hazards

_ respond to Food Alerts issued by the FSA.

A list of responsible managers and officers has been identified to provide an out-of-hours service for such incidents. See section 2.4 for emergency call out number.

3.8. Liaison with Other Organisations

The Service adheres to the principles of the Enforcement Concordat. The Prosecution Policy has been established following discussion with other Trading Standards Services in the region.

Trading Standards South East (TSSE) is a Regional Group that includes all 19 authorities within the GOSE region. The Trading Standards Service takes an active part within TSSE and the group is used as a vehicle to coordinate food sampling and promote best practice. The opportunities for more efficient sampling programmes, food training and food promotion activities are therefore presented. The group also aims to ensure consistent enforcement across the different authorities.

The service is represented at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Food Liaison Group. The Group comprises representatives of the Environmental Health Departments in the County, three neighbouring Unitary Authorities, PHLS and the Health Authority.

The service provides representatives on two LACORS expert panels: Food Labelling and Animal Feeding Stuffs. Animal Health and Welfare Officers liaise with DEFRA, RSPCA, Meat Hygiene Service and relevant LACORS panels.

Richard Scales, Principal Officer for Agriculture, is appointed to the prestigious national body ACAF (FSA Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs), as the National Enforcement Representative. This provides Hampshire a voice influencing UK policy on animal feeds.

Regulatory Services is a Member of Campden & Chorleywood Food Research Association, which provides specialist information, advice and training relating to food control.

3.9. Food and Feedingstuffs Safety and Standards Promotion

3.9.1. Healthy Eating

The project Food - the Choice is Yours continues. It helps to educate consumers and enable them to make informed choices by knowing how to use the information on food labels, particularly to look at the health issues surrounding levels of fat, sugar and salt.

The project includes a dedicated website along with a booklet and credit-card sized information charts on fat, sugar and salt levels and recommended daily amounts to assist consumers in their decision making. The campaign is featured on the Food Vision website as an example of best practice, showing how Trading Standards can help educate consumers to make healthy food choices. Food Vision is sponsored by the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), the Local Government Association and the Food Standards Agency. `Food -the Choice is Yours' booklets and information cards were distributed at a number of events including the Farmers Market. Hampshire Information Centres and libraries also distribute these.

The project will be continued in 2009/10, as this reflects one of the Food Standards Agency's priorities to promote a healthy eating lifestyle.

3.9.2. Education in Schools

Food Safety and other Trading Standards issues are also promoted to the children of Hampshire through LifeSmart - a special education campaign targeted at schools. In addition, a new dedicated food education package has been compiled and distributed to all Hampshire Secondary Schools. Entitled FoodSmart, it takes the form of a teacher's pack together with activity and illustrated information cards for students. It is aimed at cross-cutting the curriculum in schools for key stage 3 and 4 students (11 to 16 year old) and covers nutrition and healthy eating promotion. Preliminary work is planned to look at the feasibility of extending this project to encompass key stage 2 pupils.

Another key education campaign is taking part in the ThinkSafe events when some 5000 key stage 2 students attended and take part in interactive activities including issues relating to food.

Alongside this is work done with the Accredited Community Safety Officers Junior Community Team (JCT) where there is an input to the children on food issues particularly equipping them to make informed choices when buying food and in elements of healthy eating.

A project is currently under way entitled Nippers Nutrition. This involves engaging with a number of Nursery Schools across the county and obtaining samples of the meals they are providing to the children. These are then analysed by Hampshire Scientific Service and the results reviewed by nutritionists, so that valuable data can be made available on the nutritional value of meals to this vulnerable group.

3.9.3. Advice to Food Businesses

The Service issues a number of Factsheets on food law and consumer advice and has associated website pages. E.g. food labelling. Regulatory Services subscribes to `TS Interlink', which provides updated information sheets on behalf of subscribers. This approach saves resources and improves consistency between authorities.

Regulatory Services staff help to promote Hampshire Farmers Markets and give talks and lectures to trade groups. e.g. Farmers Market members and Forest Friendly Farming. Hampshire County Council's Economic Development Unit also promotes locally produced quality food via its Hampshire Fare scheme.

3.9.4. Sampling Campaigns

Some food sampling campaigns result in ad-hoc awareness campaigns, when press releases are issued.

The effectiveness of the above promotional activities is evaluated via feedback from the public and businesses, the uptake of sampling campaigns by food authorities and the level of resultant media interest.

3.9.5 Media

Media requests which are dealt with through Corporate Communications, included a series of radio interviews of a member of the team regarding several food-related issues.

The Scientific Service have worked closely with Meridian TV on projects that have engendered public interest

4. RESOURCES

4.1. Financial Allocation

Regulatory Services Management Group is responsible for the allocation and delegation of budgets allocated to the food enforcement functions.

The current salary and transport budget allocated to the Food Standards team is approximately £440,000 per annum. Section 4.2 gives a full staffing breakdown as at April 2009.

The current food enforcement costs for Scientific Services, including sampling, analysis, reporting and consultancy is £197,000.

The following table summarises the current staffing levels dedicated to food science (including microbiology) and food analysis:

4.2. Staffing Allocation

The following table summarises the staffing levels dedicated to food and agriculture enforcement at April 2007:

Each Trading Standards Officer working on food enforcement is appropriately qualified in accordance with the Food Enforcement Code of Practice. In practice this means either DTS or equivalent, or DCA qualified. The Food Science Team Leader has specialist food factory auditing skills and is part of the Food Audit inspection team.

Each team member has undertaken Basic Food Hygiene Training. There are seven officers with ISO 9001 Lead Assessor training.

The following table summarises the current staffing levels dedicated to food science (including microbiology) and food analysis:

4.3. Staff Development Plan

The Property, Business, Regulatory and IT Department has had Investors in People status since November 2001.

Training needs are identified by examining:

· Operational requirements arising from the Service Plan

· Individual needs highlighted at Individual Performance Plan (IPP) Reviews.

Each individual member of staff has an IPP review with their line manager and the setting of performance targets for the following year. Training and development needs are assessed at this time and throughout the year as updates are carried out. In addition, the Service will establish team training needs arising out of the team plan. In accordance with the Food Enforcement Code of Practice, each authorised officer undertakes at least 10 hours training per annum.

How these needs are met may vary, but sources of training include:

· Awareness days (an annual in-house programme of five sessions)

· Day release courses

· On the job training

· In-house HCC short training courses

· External short courses (e.g. those run by Campden & Chorleywood Food RA, Leatherhead Food RA, the FSA, LACORS, TSI, APA, professional bodies and Universities).

Training must be approved before it is undertaken and it is evaluated after the event.

5. QUALITY ASSESSMENT

5.1. Quality Assessment

Internal monitoring will be conducted to assess the Service's performance of the plan and the FSA Framework Standard on a quarterly basis.

All Food Standards functions are registered to the ISO 9001 Quality Standard as part of the registration which covers the Trading Standards service.

The Scientific Service is UKAS accredited to the EN ISO/ IEC 17025 standard and participates in external proficiency schemes, e.g. FAPAS. It is recognised as an Official Food Enforcement Laboratory for both analysis and microbiological examinations.

6. REVIEW

6.1. Review against the Service Plan

The County Council operates a Leader and Cabinet Model (The Executive), alongside which operates five Select Committees. The role of each Select Committee is to act as a critical friend to the Executive, to review the impact of decisions and policy, support the Executive in policy development and undertake internal and external reviews.

There are also performance measures set in the Service Development Plan against which progress is measured. All food enforcement work will be delivered on a project basis. Each project will have associated performance indicators and desired outcomes.

Each month the plan will be monitored to establish:

· Interventions for High risk premises against target

· Interventions for Medium risk premises against target

· Numbers of samples against targets

· Outcomes of campaigns and promotional activities

In addition, on a quarterly basis, we will evaluate

· Actual resource allocation versus projected allocation

· Responses to food complaints

· Reactive work, prosecutions and investigations.

The Food Service Plan is subject to annual review where an assessment is made of progress. Outcomes will be evaluated. The review includes an assessment against the previous year's plan as a means to measure improvement. Resource requirements are also reviewed quarterly by managers and are adjusted as necessary, taking into account overall Regulatory Services priorities.

6.2. Identification of any variation from the Service Plan

At the quarterly review meetings, any variance in the plan will be examined and the reasons considered. These variances will be documented and where additional "non-planned" work has met the desired objective this will be recorded. For example Foot and Mouth disease has had a major impact on last year's plan.

6.3. Areas for Improvement

Where the review process identifies areas for improvement or development these will be adopted in accordance with ISO 9001 practices. A key aim of the Department is to continuously improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of its services.

APPENDIX 1

Food & Agriculture Specialists Team - Terms of Reference

Team Structure and Purpose:

A Food and Agriculture Specialists Team (FAST) was formed in October 2001, to take a strategic view of Food Enforcement, set policies and lead the formulation of the Food Service Plan. The team includes experts in Food & Agriculture Law, Labelling, Food Science, audit and inspection systems, Animal Health and Trading Standards. The members are:

Overall Aims

· To formulate the Food Service Plan

· To monitor implementation of the Service Plan

· To act as a focus of expertise on food, agriculture and animal health within Regulatory Services

· To review operation plans and where this impacts on policy refer to the Management Team

Key Activities

1. To discuss and agree areas of activity in food & agriculture

2. To co-ordinate food and agriculture projects

3. To identify and manage resources required to deliver food and agriculture plans

4. To keep up to date with legislation, enforcement procedures, science, technology and any other developments relating to food and agriculture

5. To collect, filter and disseminate relevant food and agriculture information

6. To offer a food and agriculture advisory service to the advice service, public and businesses of Hampshire

7. To represent Hampshire County Council on external groups and bodies relating to food and agriculture. e.g. LACORS, SETSA Food Specialists, APA, Defra/Animal Health, Food Liaison Groups and Health Authorities

8. To act as a forum for identifying, sourcing, giving and receiving training in food and agriculture for Regulatory Services

9. To devise quality systems and procedures required to deliver food and agriculture action plans

10. To consider promotional and media relations activities relating to food and agriculture.

Frequency of Meetings

FAST will meet a minimum of 4 times per annum. The quorum will be 4 members.