The General Purposes Committee of Ealing Council met on Tuesday 23 June 2026 to approve the Food and Health and Safety Service Plans for 2026-2027. The meeting focused on the operational delivery and future priorities of these essential public protection services.

Food and Health and Safety Services Plans 2026-2027

The committee discussed and subsequently approved the Food and Health and Safety Service Plans for the upcoming year. Izabela Gregory, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, presented the report, highlighting the significant work undertaken by both the Food Safety and Workplace and Public Safety teams.

Food Safety Service: The Food Safety team is responsible for regulating over 3,500 food businesses in Ealing, a task described as complex and high-risk. In the previous year, the service conducted nearly 2,000 inspections, achieving 97% of its planned programme. Enforcement activity remained high, with over 60 premises closed due to imminent health risks, 16 prosecutions leading to significant fines, and 82 improvement notices issued. The team also achieved the highest level of sampling activity in Northwest London. A three-year advisory program, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported over 800 businesses, with approximately 70% improving their food hygiene ratings.

However, a key challenge identified is the stagnant compliance rate of just under 89%, meaning 11% of businesses have a food hygiene rating of 0, 1, or 2. This is exacerbated by high business turnover, with nearly 1,000 new food businesses registering annually. The end of the advisory service funding also means reduced capacity for preventative work. The Food Standards Agency has commended the council's strong enforcement approach.

For the 2026-2027 period, the Food Safety service will continue its inspection programme, aiming for just under 2,000 inspections. Key focuses include targeted work in priority locations with the lowest compliance, such as North Acton, Southall Grill, and Southall Broadway, and a more holistic approach to pest management for earlier interventions.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the resourcing of the food service, with statements indicating it is only resourced to meet minimum statutory obligations. Joe Blanchard, Assistant Director for Environment and Community Protection, explained that services are set up to deliver legal minimum standards as prescribed by government bodies. The increase in non-compliance leading to prosecutions was attributed to the cost of living crisis, with businesses cutting corners on pest control. The service plans to adopt a more proactive approach, including offering free training to businesses and educating them on pest control services.

Discussions also touched upon the specific challenges in areas like Southall, which is a high non-compliance area and an international destination. Councillor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer, representing a ward in Southall, questioned whether more resources were being directed to regulate food outlets there and suggested considering special policy areas for food safety, similar to licensing. Izabela Gregory confirmed that inspections are prioritised based on risk and non-compliance, meaning more inspections occur in areas like Southall. She also noted that making hygiene ratings mandatory for display is a national debate, currently not enforced in England.

The report also highlighted issues with the current Management Information System (MIS), Uniform, which is described as outdated and presents challenges. The contract with the current provider is expiring, and the service is in the process of identifying a new provider, a painful process expected to take around nine months. The transition to a new system, including data migration, is a significant undertaking, with a risk of data loss. A positive development is the move towards fully remote working for officers with laptops and iPads, enabling a digital inspection program.

Health and Safety Service: The Workplace and Public Safety Team regulates over 19,000 businesses, with 90% being micro-businesses. Enforcement is split between local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with the council focusing on lower-risk sectors like hospitality, leisure, and retail. Last year, the team conducted over 140 inspections and investigated eight significant workplace accidents. Proactive work included inspection campaigns and supporting the safety advisory group for events. Enforcement actions included setting 10 prohibition orders, concluding one prosecution, and issuing 15 improvement notices.

For 2026-2027, the service will continue to respond to reactive demands and undertake targeted project work. Priority areas include inflatable amusement devices, workplace noise and musculoskeletal disorders, spa pools and hot tubs, and warehousing safety.

Similar to the food service, concerns were raised about the health and safety service being resourced to deliver its plan only if no additional resources arise. The report indicated that the team is operating at capacity, with limited resilience for sudden increases in demand.

Decisions: The committee unanimously approved both the Food Service Plan for 2026-2027 and the Health and Safety Service Plan for 2026-2027.