Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

The Authority had a longstanding record of implementing projects to actively promote food safety and to provide advice to food businesses. There was clear evidence of range of significant local initiatives that appeared to be well planned, monitored and evaluated.

The Authority�s stated policy on the Home Authority Principle (HAP) was that, from 2001, it would not offer this service to local businesses �due to the high level of resources needed�. In practice, it appeared that officers were not expected to provide proactive assistance to individual food businesses operating from the Borough, although advice was given at the time of premises inspections and in response to specific enquiries.

The Service�s records indicated that, during enforcement activities, officers generally contacted home authorities when appropriate. It was not clear, however, that some inspections, complaint investigations and the actions following unsatisfactory food sample results had been fully and effectively concluded, particularly where these related to food standards issues.

The Authority did not have a comprehensive or up to date framework of documented policies and procedures to guide officers and to provide a benchmark for internal monitoring. The Service�s document control system had lapsed 3 years earlier, pending introduction of a corporate quality management system, due for implementation in April 2006.