Advice to Business. 10.1 The responsibility to comply with feed and food law rests with the business operator. As part of its approach to enforcement, the Authority shall work with businesses to help them comply with food and feed legislation. This may include, for example: • running training courses/seminars (in accordance with the requirements in the Codes of Practice for avoiding potential conflicts of interest) ; • providing advice during interventions; • business information sheets; • responding to queries; and • dialogue with business through local business partnerships or similar fora.
Advice to Business. The Public Protection Section provides a free advice service to local businesses on all aspects of food legislation. Advice may be provided following a specific request from a business or may be proactively issued to update business on changes of legislation. During 2007/2008, the service responded to 184 requests for advice from businesses. Since 1 April 2005, the Food Safety Section has participated in the Welsh Food Hygiene Award Scheme supported by the Food Standards Agency. The award is given at the discretion of the Council following an unannounced programmed inspection when required standards have been achieved. The scheme has three levels of award – Gold, Silver and Bronze. The scheme gives recognition to those food premises attaining high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene practices. Those food businesses that are given a Gold award must have achieved the highest standards in all the required areas. During 2007/2008, 5 Gold, 45 Bronze and 35 Silver awards were made to businesses. Following a successful grant application to the Food Standards Agency (Wales) "Better Food Bridgend" was launched in September 2007 to assist new businesses in the implementation of the new food safety management procedure "Safer Food Better Business" and to promote the consideration of the salt content and nutritional values of the food provided. Initially it was hoped to run 2 workshops a month targeted at 400 catering businesses. However, the poor response by local businesses to the initial workshops resulted in the reduction of workshops to one a month. A total of 459 catering businesses were invited to 9 workshops of which a total of 58 businesses attended. In 2008/2009 it is intended that the workshops will be continued to be run, but will concentrate on the promotion of the use of the food safety management system 'Safer Food Better Business' only. A letter will be sent to all catering businesses advising of the legal requirement to implement a written food safety management system and the service's intention to enforce this requirement if businesses fail to comply. Additional funding for the promotion of 'Safer Food Better Business' has been offered by the Food Standards Agency (Wales) and it is envisaged that this will be used to provide one-to-one coaching sessions for ethnic businesses by a suitably qualified person speaking their language.
Advice to Business. The authority provides advice to business. Advice visits are carried out when appropriate at the request of the business proprietor. Such advice is limited to interpretation of the law in relation to the business in question and does not extend to detailed design advice at any stage. In addition to the above the Council provides a range of approved literature that is sent free on request to businesses and copies of all such material is available on the Council’s web-site. The web-site also includes links to other sites that are of value to the business proprietor. To assist ethnic groups a range of material is available in languages other than English and facilities for translation of letters and assistance with translation at interview are also available. There is no formal input into business or partnerships due to the limitations of available staffing resources. The Service has historically provided, on request, assistance to the local educational establishment to assist in the training of catering students locally.
Advice to Business. The CEH Team are highly successful at supporting businesses and helping them to grow and become a success. The team provides advice to businesses, for example: • the promotion of information guidance notes to assist businesses comply with the law and good food hygiene practices; • directing enquiries to relevant sources of competent and reliable advice,
