ENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE: 17 JUNE 2014 AUDIT AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 25 JUNE 2014

CONSUMER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES SERVICE PLAN 2013/14 - REVIEW

Report by Director of Development

PURPOSE OF REPORT To seek approval for the review of the 2013 / 2014 Consumer and Environmental Services Service Plan.

1 COMPETENCE

1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendation being implemented. 2 SUMMARY

2.1 The Comhairle is required to develop certain Service Plans to satisfy external agreements such as the Framework Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Enforcement and the National Performance Framework for Trading Standards Services. The Framework Agreements require that these Plans, including any reviews, be submitted to the relevant member forum for approval to ensure local transparency and accountability. This includes any reviews.

2.2 Appendix 1 details the review of the combined Consumer and Environmental Services Service Plan for 2013/2014, which includes the Services not covered by external agreements. 3 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 It is recommended that the Comhairle a pproves the review of the Consumer and Environmental Services Service Plan for 2013/2014.

Contact Officer Colm Fraser Tel. 01851 822694

Appendix 1 Service Plan Review 2013 / 14

Background Papers Consumer and Environmental Services service plan 2013 / 14

COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR Consumer and Environmental Services Service Plan 2012/2013 Review

Overview Food Standards Business Plan Cat Months Target 12/13 13/14 Visits The Section had five main actions in the A 12 100% 100% 80% 11 Departmental Business Plan and these were B 24 80% 95% 89% 51 C 36 95% 88% 9 successfully completed other than one action Unrated 100% 45% 44% 58 relating to delivery surcharges which needed to be Programmed Visits 216 219 continued in to 204/15. Performance against the Revisits 9 2 plan can be found at www.cne-siar.gov.uk/cxdir/executiveoffice/performance . All high risk premises were inspected on target Staffing other than a couple of inspections that were The staffing of the Service has reduced over the inspected slightly outwith the target date. Catching last five years from 16.2 to 11.05. As part of the up with the missed inspections was off target environmental health provision in Uist and Barra however the overall percentage of unrated and being reviewed in 2012/13 by deleting a missed premises is proportionally low. Community Environment Officer post along with a All eligible food premises should now been classed reduction of the role of the Head of Devolved under the Food Hygiene information Scheme and Services, a full time environmental health officer details of a premises rating can be found at: post in Balivanich was created and was filled in May 2013. This arrangement is working quite well, www.cne-siar.gov.uk/foodsafety/food-hygiene-scheme.asp. proving that it is a more sustainable structure for The Service also introduced the EatSafe Scheme which the long term environmental health provision in Uist promotes a higher standard for food businesses. and Barra. There were also some unplanned staff The food service also carried out the following activities: absences which affected the performance of some Target 2012/13 2013/14 parts of the Service. Remedial Action Notices None 2 1 Hygiene Improvement Budgets None 13 4 Budgets came in under target mainly as a result of Notices staff vacancies and various additional income. Sampl es Microbiological 30 41 58* The cost of Trading Standards and Environmental Composition&Labelling 30 26 43* Health for the year was £941,705, equating to Shellfish Temporary None 10 8 £34,169 per 1,000 population. This includes Closure Notices Western Isles Citizens Advice. Export Health Certs None 132 111 Food Safety Food Advice Requests None 111 126 The primary aim of the Service was to carry out the Food Complaints None 5 11 Primary Production Comhairle’s Food Authority role in accordance with 15 15 15 the Approved Food Standards Agency (FSA) Code visits of Practice. There were over 64 business that * additional sampling done as a result of a food safety were added to the inspection programme (including investigation and others were FSA funded. new businesses) and 37 that were closed. An investigation into an unlicensed As a result of the horse scandal the Service in 2011 resulting in a report to the Procurator Fiscal had to carry out additional food standards visits at was successfully tried in court, with several the request of the Food Standards Agency. offences being proven. Inspections performance against targets is shown The Service was also involved in managing a in the following tables: serious food safety incident in one of the Approved Food Hygiene Premises, which resulted in national and Cat Months Target 12/13 13/14 Visits international food recalls. A 6 100% 100% 100% 6 Health and Safety B 12 100% 100% 96% 40 C 18 80% 89% 81% 113 There have been changes over the year in terms of D 24 60% 81% 87% 15 prioritising inspection programmes with a move E 36 95% 45 % 50 away from the traditional risk rating scheme to a Missed 0% more risk based programme based on national Unrated 100% 65 % 59 priorities. Programmed Visits 261 255 Revisits 51 39 The national priorities were still being developed Environmental Health and will be fully implemented in 2014/15. Service Requests The Service did not take any formal action under The Service has dealt with the following number of Health and Safety Legislation, however recorded service requests and actions over the investigated five Accident Reports. In addition only year. 4 advisory visits were carried out and there were 2 recorded requests for advice. Detail Requests Visits Public meetings etc 5 5 Animal Health Dogs Fouling 23 17 The following recorded activities were carried out in Patrols- dog fouling areas 0 8 2013/14 Contaminated Land 15 6 Freedom of Information 53 Type Inspections /Visits Env. health general enquiry 87 67 2012/13 201 3/1 4 Other Service Requests 8 3 Holdings 165 Planning Related Enquiry 20 Of which Primary Production 15 15 Planning Consultations 236 Auction Marts 17 8 Landlord issues 16 10 Abattoirs 1 0 Licence issued by section 21 9 Riding Establishments 2 1 Licence Consultations 135 45 Pet shop 3 1 Fly Tipping 17 13 Animal Boarding 10 6 Patrols - litter areas 26 Dog Breeding 2 2 Street/pavement littered 5 6 Service Requests Noise complaints 19 15 Stray Dogs 45 38 Drainage nuisance 3 3 Aggressive 9 22 Public Health Nuisance 19 14 Pest Control 38 5 Dog Control Notice Issued 1 2 Ship Sanitation Certificate 2 2 Complaints/ Requests 178 86 Smoking visits/complaints 25 8 Strandings 4 7 Private Water/Radiation 56 12 There has been an increase in complaints about sample aggressive and dangerous dogs. Scottish Water Issue 2 Sewer complaints 11 7 Trading Standards Total 816 281 Enforcement The Service met its target of inspecting 100% of Licences High risk premises and 50%of medium risk The Service continues to administer and issue a premises in the year with 200 inspections and variety of licences as detailed below. The issuing advisory visits carried out. This included 12 joint of private landlord registrations requires to be exercises with the police to control the activities of improved and will be a priority for 2014/15. itinerant traders. Licence Type Issued Total 13/14 Buy With Confidence : the Service has completed Animal Boarding Establishment 4 4 its review of the current scheme and will be rolling Caravan Sites 5 15 out an updated version in the coming year. House in Multiple Occupation 10 32 Black : on behalf of DEFRA, Late Hours Catering 2 11 the Service conducted inspection and audit reports Market Operator's 4 8 on the members of the Stornoway Metal Dealers 1 7 Producers’ Association prior to Stornoway Black Pet Shop 1 1 Pudding being awarded Protected Geographical Second Hand Goods Dealer 0 2 Indication status. Second-hand Car Dealer 1 14 Street Trader - 3 9 Complaints and Advice Dealers 3 5 Target 2013/14 Horse Riding 1 1 Consumer 80%in 14 days & 75 % Dog Breeding 1 1 Complaints 100% in 28 days (418 Complaints ) Tattooing etc 0 1 Business Advice 100% of requests 100 % Acupuncture / Electrolysis 0 1 & Assistance within 14 days (59 Enquiries) Petroleum Licences 21 21 Explosives Registration 10 9 Total 67 142 205 applicants/ Landlord Registration 574 properties