Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure introduced the new legislation on charging for re-rating inspections carried out under the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013. 

The Regulations that implement the Act, namely, the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Regulations 2013, came into force on 28 November, 2013 and allowed officers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to any person guilty of the offences listed within the report.  Fixed Penalty Notices would be issued in line with the Public Protection Enforcement Policy.

As a safeguard to businesses, the Act provided a mechanism by which they could apply to be re-rated before their next programmed inspection date and for Local Authorities to charge for carrying out visits for the purpose of re-rating them.  The report proposed a charge of £150 per visit.  If the request for re-score visits remained at a similar level seen over the previous two years, the current resources should be sufficient to absorb this work.  If the level increased significantly, additional resources may be required, therefore, the number of requests for re-score visits would be monitored closely.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the £150 Rescore Charge recommended by the Welsh Heads of Environmental Health “All Wales Food Technical Panel” be approved; and

(b)       That delegated authority be given to the Director of Environment in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste Strategy, Public Protection and Leisure to review the fee level in the future.