Decision Maker: Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: September 12, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 9.1 The members of the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee considered a report of the Executive Director Neighbourhood Services containing a Service Plan setting out a programme of inspection of food businesses for each year as required by the Food Standards Agency.     9.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee;   a)    Notes the successful reduction in the hygiene and allergen inspection backlog since the last report. b)    Notes the introduction of a new Food Standards Delivery Model and the increase in Food Standards interventions this requires. c)    Acknowledges that resource within the Standards team cannot complete the FSA food standards programme however: ·     A risk-based approach is being taken and efforts are being made to increase our capacity in this team. ·     Our approach has and will continue to reduce the inherent high risk to customers with food allergies as per item 1. d)    Approves the Service Plan including the risk-based food programme proposals in the attached report concerning Food Safety and Standards.     9.3 Reasons for Decision     9.3.1 SCC should publish an annual food plan covering Standards and Hygiene work, and that plan is attached. This report and the attached plan set out the legislative and contextual background to how we will deliver a risk-based inspection programme in 25/26, making best use of resources to protect public health and the interests of the residents and businesses of Sheffield.     9.3.2 Whilst some risks remain and are highlighted, there has been considerable progress in reducing hygiene and allergen visit backlogs since the last report evidenced by the FSA’s reduced frequency of monitoring     9.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     9.4.1 Delivery of Food Hygiene interventions is now on a stable footing so no significant change was considered to this aspect of the work.     9.4.2 In relation to food standards we considered a range of options to deal with the backlog. 1.    Rebuild capacity in our food standards team to meet the requirements of the food law code of practice. This would require significant investment and would require training up officers due to the national shortage of qualified staff, so would not make a significant difference in the period covered by the plan. 2.    Repopulate our existing structure. This will still be significantly below the resource needed to deliver the required food standards interventions and requires qualified staff which are in short supply. It is unclear whether this would continue to be acceptable to the FSA or prompt their intervention. 3.    Resource the food standards team in line with comparable cities within the region which is a lower level than 1. This would include doubling the staff resource, but as option 1 this would not achieve benefits within the period of the plan due to the national shortage of staff. 4.    Divert some resource from food hygiene and backfill. This would require significant input to upskill them to be competent to do the work and may impact on food hygiene intervention delivery. 5.    Recruit an additional TSO/EHO on a temporary basis until the officers in training are competent to carry out food standards work, if qualified officers can be found given the national shortage.   The officer conclusion is that option 4 is the most viable and most beneficial for the period of the plan and supports us to discharge our statutory duties as effectively as possible, using means that are most appropriate to the circumstances. It will not address the situation in the longer term but will mitigate the high risks until we fully understand the implications of the FSDM and until new TS staff complete their food training. It does require backfill though to maintain performance on food hygiene visits, sothe service will work through the options for this during the year however in the short term this will not impact on the plan presented.