Purpose

Seek approval on the Food and Feed Plan 2025/26 detailing the
work plan and note previous year performance data.

Content

The Cabinet considered a report of the
Director of Public Health and Communities which sought approval of
the Food and Feed Plan 2025/26 for the Borough of Rochdale. The
report also updated on the service performance for 2024/25, which
had met the Food Standards Agency (FSA)’s requirements.
 
The Head of Public Protection was in
attendance to present the information and to address the questions
and the comments of the Cabinet Members.
 
The Officer informed that the Food and
Feed Service Plan was a statutory document. The FSA set out a
prescribed format for the plan and its contents in the Framework
Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Regulation. The Service Plan
identified the scope and demands on the regulatory services. It
provided details of last year’s performance and detailed the
current and future plan and challenges. It identified
the way the Public Protection Service would deliver food hygiene,
food standards and feed regulatory functions during the year.
 
Resolved:

1.   
That the service performance for year 2024/25, which had met the
FSA’s requirements, be noted;

2.   
That the Food and Feed Plan 2025/26 for Rochdale Borough Council,
as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.
 
Reason for decision:
The FSA had been formed back in 2000 in
response to a number of damaging, high profile food
scares. The FSA set out in a Framework Agreement the levels of
mandatory service to be provided by local authorities for Food
Safety (hygiene and hazard control in food business involved in
manufacturing, processing and distribution etc of food for human
consumption), Food Standards (labelling, composition, allergens etc
of food for human consumption) and Feed (feed businesses involved
in the production, distribution, transportation and use etc of
animal feed).
Local Authorities are required to
submit to the FSA, bi-annual returns of both the qualitative and
quantitative aspects of work carried out. The FSA carry out audits
of local authorities as part of a “rolling programme”,
to check compliance with the Framework Agreement and closely
monitor and scrutinise Local Authority performance.
 
It was a requirement of the Framework
Agreement that local Food Authorities review their performance on
an annual basis. The FSA which regulated the enforcement of food
legislation, required service plans to be submitted to a relevant
Member forum for approval. The programme of work carried out was in
accordance with national legislation, codes of practice and
guidance.
The most recent Food Law Code of
Practice (FLCoP) had been issued in June 2023 and
informs Food Authorities on the execution and enforcement of food
legislation. Food Authorities must have regard to this Code when
discharging their statutory duties.
 
On 26 May 2021, the FSA issued a board
paper; LA Recovery Roadmap in recognition of the
impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. This reflected the update
position, the changing business landscape, with many food
businesses closing or changing operations. It detailed the
objectives and principles to be adopted over 2 phases of recovery,
covering the period from 1 July 2021 through to March 2023 and
beyond.
 
Significant work had been undertaken by
the team to recover from the pandemic impact. The FSA now expected
Local Authorities to resume to pre-pandemic arrangements and
endeavour to inspect all premises that are due.
 
This work would continue through
2025/26 on a risk based pro-active basis alongside inspecting and
supporting new food businesses, events and investigating complaints
from consumers, which was detailed in the plan.
The team also carried out health and
safety checks whilst in the businesses. The team also undertook
pro-active health and safety initiatives in food premises and this
year the initiatives and visits focussed on: • electrical
safety • machine guards • legionella management in all
registered care homes • carbon dioxide/ ventilation/
extraction suitability audits • coffee machine/ pressure
systems safety • window blinds/ cords safety in
children’s nurseries • health and safety at events.
 
Alternatives considered and
rejected:
The FSA stipulated the frequency and
type of official intervention which was monitored and there was
little scope for alternative actions. The only alternative would be
to deliver a service that does not comply with the FSA requirements
which was not a viable option.