Food hygiene enforcement
Perth & Kinross Council is the nominated Food Authority in terms of the Food Safety Act 1990 for the Perth & Kinross area and is therefore legally required to ensure that all aspects of Food Law Enforcement are implemented within their area.
Food businesses within Perth & Kinross are therefore included in an ongoing programme of inspection visits to assess their compliance with food law and will where necessary be the subject of more formal legal proceedings dependent upon the extent and / or significance of any unsatisfactory conditions found during inspections.
To ensure that all businesses are treated fairly and consistently Perth & Kinross Council has approved a formal Food Enforcement Policy which specifies the further actions to be taken by Food Safety enforcement staff when varying degrees of non-compliance are found during inspection visits. A copy of this policy is available as a download.
The main ways in which unsatisfactory conditions are dealt with are:
· by way of warning letters
· by the service of Hygiene Improvement Notices
· by way of prosecution via the Procurator Fiscal's Office
· by emergency closure where there is an imminent risk to health
Failure to comply with food hygiene requirements is usually related to poor structural standards, lack of cleanliness, poor temperature control and unhygienic practices relating to the handling of food and tend to be present due to a lack of adequate management controls over these issues.
The inspecting Officer will assess the business's compliance and effectiveness of the management controls evident over these aspects and allocate an overall score for each component. The total scored outcome will then determine what, if any, further action will be taken in respect of the business concerned.
Once a business has been visited the results of the inspection are confirmed in writing to the proprietor within 10 working days.
