Wolverhampton City Council

The authority had developed a Food Service Plan for 2008/2009, which was broadly in line with the Service Planning Guidance in the Framework Agreement. The Service Plan and associated work programme were reviewed quarterly, with any variances and associated resource issues addressed.

The service had developed and implemented documented policies and procedures covering their food law enforcement responsibilities, which were subject to an effective document control system. The majority of these had been recently reviewed and a programme had been drawn up setting out a timetable for further reviews.

The authority had a documented system for the authorisation of officers based on a clearly defined competency matrix which assessed authorisation levels granted to officers based on their qualifications, experience and the outcome of internal monitoring activities.

The authority’s food premises database contained accurate records of all nine approved establishments in the authority’s area.

An aide-memoire was not routinely used to record the detailed findings of approved establishments’ inspections. It was therefore generally difficult to establish from file records whether an appropriate inspection had been carried out for the type of business or the basis for the officers’ assessment of compliance.

Where premises had been re-approved by the authority since January 2006, it was not clear from file or database records that a timely pre-approval assessment had been made and that any contraventions had been appropriately dealt with before approvals were granted.

Letters and associated schedules of work were consistently provided to food business operators following inspections of approved establishments. These made a clear distinction between matters which were legal requirements and those which were recommendations of good practice.

The service had developed a documented policy and procedure in relation to the investigation of food business complaints and referrals and in general, complaints and referrals relating to the authority’s approved establishments had been followed up and investigated in line with Food Law Code of Practice requirements.

The service had developed detailed documented procedures for microbiological and compositional sampling as well as a sampling policy and programme which provided for targeted sampling from local approved establishments.

The authority had developed documented enforcement policies in accordance with official guidance. However, the authority should ensure that all enforcement action taken in relation to approved establishments is carried out in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice and centrally issued guidance.

The authority had in place internal monitoring systems covering both quantitative and qualitative monitoring, to verify progress with the work programme and compliance with the authority’s own documented policies and procedures as well as centrally issued guidance.