Joint Food and Safety Service Business Plan 2022 to 2024

The Joint Food and Health and Safety Service Business Plan outlines the nature, objectives and influences on the Environmental Health service and the statutory and policy framework within which the service is delivered in terms of food hygiene and health and safety.

It sets out the key service priorities and objectives for 2022 to 2024 and identifies the main issues planned to be addressed during the period. It also fulfils the requirements set down by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in its Framework Agreement on Local Authority Food Law Enforcement and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in its Section 18 Guidance to Local Authorities.

In April 2020 a new unitary authority was formed from the legacy Buckinghamshire district councils of Wycombe, Chiltern, South Bucks and Aylesbury Vale and Buckinghamshire County Council. This joint food and health and safety service plan is the first to be produced for the new unitary authority.

During 2020 to 2021, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was enormous and it is clear there will be a legacy left for years to come. As well as transitioning to a new unitary authority the service found itself under extreme and sustained pressure with:

• providing advice and guidance to businesses wishing to comply with constantly changing legislation
• monitoring and enforcing lockdown measures
• providing support corporately on the council’s response to the pandemic
• responding to notifications of clusters of infections, including support to test and trace and surge testing
• providing further support to businesses and event organisers as restrictions were lifted

The team’s commitment and dedication to keeping consumers safe in the face of such challenges is to be recognised.