Functions

within Scope

EH Functions outside Scope

Definition

Issues

Food Inspections

 

Programmed food inspections and enforcement required by the FSA Codes of

·         Category A – E visits and revisits

·         Inspection of New Premises within 28 days

·         Inclusion in FSA’s FHRS

·         Prosecution, hygiene  improvement/prohibition notices, seizure and detention

·         Alternative Enforcement for cat E

·         Approved Premise – approved processes

 

Swale currently out sources

·         Inspections B-D category.

·         New premises

 

In house inspections for

·         A rated

·         Prosecutions within team

·         Approved Premises within team

 

Food Hygiene and Food Complaints

Voluntary surrender (Insurance Certificates), visit, certificate, admin fee

Healthy Choices Award Scheme

·         Investigation of complaints about food

·         Investigation of premises hygiene complaints

·         Export certificates

 

Swale do not do Voluntary Surrender

 

Only TW have a Healthy Choice Award scheme (public health- obesity)

Planning and Licensing Consultees

 

·         Responsible authority for licensing, comments on H&S

·         Comments on planning applications in relation to food

 

Health and Safety Programmed Inspections

 

·         In line with HSE guidelines (currently inspecting cat A premises)

·         Use of statutory powers including prohibition notices/improvement notices/powers of entry/etc

·         Participation in HSE/Kent H&S projects

 

Health and Safety Reactive Work

 

·         Accident investigations

·         Dangerous Occurrences

·         Complaints relating to H&S in workplace from employees and public

·         Use of statutory powers

·         H & S project work both HSE and LA

 

Infectious Disease Investigations and work with Health Protection Agency

 

·         Investigation of cases in line with HPA guidance, letters, advice and questionnaires

·         Investigation of outbreaks of food borne infections and food poisoning with HPA including e.coli cases, legionella (link with HSE)

·         Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions requirements including registration /inspection of skin piercers, tattooing and beauty treatments.

 

 

Food Hygiene Training

·         Provision of food hygiene courses for businesses

·         Officers act as trainers in their own time and are paid from income or paid through LA time

TW have current partnership with K College, Sevenoaks, Dartford, T&M

 

Potential expansion of partnership?

 

Shellfish Beds

·         Sampling  and monitoring

Swale only (Port of London contracted to do the sampling)

 

Animal Welfare

·         Inspection of animal boarding, breeding premises, pet shops, zoo, riding establishments, pet shops, keepers of dangerous wild animals

Swale have zoo (Environ Response deal with inspections and issue licence)

TW inspect all and issue licence

Maidstone inspect and Licensing team issue licence

Private Water Supplies

 

·         Policy and procedure development and reviews

·         Maintenance of public register

·         Processing of applications

·         Identification, Investigation and survey of potential private water supplies and private distribution systems

·         Risk assessment

·         Sampling

·         Monitoring

Acting in an advisory capacity e.g. TW to economic development on issues associated with Chalyebeate spring in the Pantiles at TW

Contaminated Land

 

·         Strategy, Policy and procedure development and reviews

·         Review of reports submitted through development control

·         Production and tendering of specifications for site investigation/risk assessment by consultants

·         Production and tendering of specifications for remediation projects.

·         Risk assessing

·         Sampling

·         Treatment & remediation

·         Site specific searches relating to contaminated land by solicitors/home owners

·         Response to complaints of contaminated land  eg heating oil spill or other.

·         Charge consistency across 3 LA areas

General Environmental Health Requests

 

·         Land Charge notices

·         Environmental Enquires (contaminated land)

 

 

Environmental Protection service requests

·         Prevention of damage by pests

·         Filthy & verminous premises

·         Drainage (where only one property or septic tank etc)

·         Construction sites (COPA 1974)

·         General Advice particularly on pest control

·         Pest identification

 

For TW

 

Swale & Maidstone Environmental Response deal with

·         Prevention of Damage by Pests Act

·         Accumulations

Swale & Maidstone Housing deal with

·         Filthy & verminous premises

 

 

Statutory nuisance in Commercial premises

·         Odour

·         Noise

·         Accumulations of waste

·         Dust

·         Smoke

·         Fumes and Effluvia

·         Insects

·         Light

Swale Environmental Regulation deal with

·          Farms for Poultry manure and bonfires dealt with by

Maidstone Environment Enforcement deal with all premises

 

Statutory nuisance in Domestic premises

·         Noise

·         Odour

·         Accumulations of waste

·         Dust

·         Smoke

·         Fumes and Effluvia

·         Insects

·         Light

TW only

This includes the investigation, assessment, determination of nuisance, preparation and service of notice, preparation of cases for prosecution, application for and execution of warrants for seizures and other works in default.

Swale EP do undertake calibration of equipment

 

Swale EP do undertake calibration of equipment

 

Clean Air Act 1993

·         Investigation of black smoke bonfires/burning of waste.  Action as necessary.

Undertaken by ER & EE at Swale and Maidstone

Licensing Reviews

 

 

·         Responsible authority consultations

·         Investigations relating to licensed premises

·         Attendance at hearings

·         Preparation and calling of reviews

 

 

Planning Application

 

·         Comments on relevant applications

·         Attendance at planning hearings and enquiries

·         Review of details submitted to discharge conditions in specialist areas e.g. cont land /noise.

·         Preparation and review of standard conditions

 

IPPC (integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)

 

·         Integrated pollution prevention control

·         Inspection and permitting of prescribed processes

·         Collection of fees, invoicing, payment of contractor, licence/registration

·         Investigation of complaints about Permitted premises, enforcement action as necessary.

Swale and TW use contractor

 

Maidstone in house.

 

TW deal with enquiry’s about processes or from processes.

Air Quality Management

 

 

 

 

·         Air Quality Monitoring Stations, calibration

·         Monitoring AEA contract

·         Collating data and submitting to DEFRA

·         Reporting on air quality

·         Strategic influencing - liaising with planning, transport, KCC

Swale use consultant to collate submit data to DEFRA

 

 

TWBC this is a function done by Sustainability section support is given by E.P on occasion.

 

Carbon Management

 

 

 

L A Safety Advisory Group

·         Participate in SAG as specialist advisors for H&S, Food Hygiene.  Monitor noise at events.

Maidstone

SAG Coordination and administration by Manager.

TW and Swale consulted on events as required.

 

Public Health Funerals

·         Visiting deceased’s home, identifying valuable documents and personal possessions, tracing family, arranging funeral

Swale only

Exceptional situation were deceased out of area – assisting other LA with home in district (may be a coroner matter?)

Student Training

 

·         Assist the training of student EHOs across the whole range of environmental functions

 

 

 

 

Corporate Emergency Planning

The organisation of Emergency Planning within local authority.

Co-ordination between KCC on training, situations, functional plans, rest centres.  Assisting the Borough Emergency Co-ordinator,