Issue - meetings

P O’Day provided a presentation on the food hygiene service, and members were asked if they had any questions.

Cllr Timmis asked if Dacorum inspected mobile vans selling food at markets/on the street.

P O’Day said that mobile premises registered in Dacorum were inspected, but if they were registered elsewhere and traded in Dacorum, it very much depended.  If Dacorum had a formal arrangement with the registering authority, then the Council would inspect it, for example a business registered in Watford and trading in Dacorum.  However, if the business moved from market to market, they would be inspected by the registering authority for that district.  With a big event, for example Chillfest, the Council would probably do a cursory check on these businesses and advise the organisers to permit only caterers who are 4 or 5 star rated.

Cllr Timmis asked if businesses involving a caravan selling coffee or tea at a big event, for example the Hertfordshire Show, or some sort of smaller outdoor event, have to be registered, even though they were not doing much.

P O’Day replied that it depended on whether there was an undertaking, as per the relevant regulation EC1782002.  If the business was being done on a regular basis, even if it was very low risk, it would still have to be registered.   However, if it was a church group fundraiser done once per year, it wouldn’t have to be registered.

Cllr Riddick asked if things like the sausage sizzle fundraisers that had been run outside the Homebase store in Apsley had been registered and were being inspected.

P O’Day wasn’t aware of food being sold at this location.  Generally if large stores like Homebase ran a promotion involving food, the Council would advise them as it does event organisers, i.e. ensure caterers were 4 or 5 star rated, registered with a local authority and covered with the correct liability insurance.  If it was a regular undertaking, like the van at the B&Q car park, then it would be inspected, but if it was ad hoc, it would make things more difficult to control.  He said he would look into this particular case.

Cllr Riddick asked how one could differentiate a counterfeit food hygiene rating sign from a genuine one in a restaurant window.

P O’Day replied there was a handwritten part of the sign which states Dacorum, the date of the inspection, and the signature of the officer who did the inspection.  Verification was available on the Council’s website.  If a sign is false, it’s a trading standard offence, and the Council has reported businesses which have displayed old signs.

Cllr Hicks asked if the Council has an obligation to confirm if caterers have to have a food hygiene standard for a one-off event.

P O’Day said that if one is hiring a professional caterer, he would strongly recommend choosing only one that has a 4 or 5 star rating, has appropriate insurance and is registered with its local authority.  However, if  ...  view the full minutes text for item 140