Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - UK - 2023

FSA Board Paper, 30 November 2023

OFFICIAL CONTROLS – FSA Board Paper: Annual Local Authority Performance Review

FSA Board Paper (FSA 23-12-04): Annual Local Authority Performance Review A pdf version of the Board Paper web page is available on this site (click on image). Provided under the Open Government Licence. The original document was accessed from:

The Board Paper will be considered at the Board meeting on the 13trh December 2023. The following is the initial Summary from the paper:

FSA 23-12-04 The paper updates the Board on local authority performance in enforcing food law over the past year.

1. Summary

1.1 The paper updates the Board on local authority performance in enforcing food law over the past year. It also explains how the FSA is performance managing local authorities and highlights some of the issues that have been identified and addressed.

1.2 The Board is asked to:

• Consider the data in this report on the performance of local authorities in the delivery of official food controls and note our strong concerns about the resourcing of local authority delivery of official food controls.

1.3 Agree that we should:

• through our performance management continue to support food teams in addressing problems and be assertive in ensuring local authority leaders are aware of their statutory duties, including through escalation where needed. As part of this approach, we propose writing now to all Local Authority Chief Executives and s.151 Finance Officers to set out our concerns about resourcing and delivery, and to remind them of the statutory nature of official food controls when considering and setting the budget allocation for the next financial year.
• Seek to develop a model that shows the level of resource local authorities need to deliver food services effectively.
• through our local authority resourcing project, help with resourcing challenges where it is within our remit to do so, by addressing the issues with qualifications and the competency framework described in para 5.9.
• continue to engage with the chartered institutes for the two professions, the Local Government Association, Government Departments and other stakeholders to raise the profile of the challenges that local authorities are facing, and to work towards solutions collectively where possible.