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Our Role
The Food Safety Act and Regulations made under it aim to make sure all food offered to the public is safe to eat. This information explains the role of Local Authority Environmental health and Trading Standards services in helping you to produce safe food and to meet your other responsibilities. Environmental Health Officers check on food safety and hygiene.
Getting your premises
Once you have selected a suitable premises you should check with the Planning Officer that the building has planning permission for the type of food premises you intend to open. If it doesn't have planning permission for the use you intend, you will need to submit a planning application for change of use of the premises.
If you need to carry out any construction work or alterations you should check with the Building Control Officer whether you need building regulation consent.
You may also need to contact Surrey County Council Trading Standards.
Businesses that sell food that is warmer than the ambient temperature between 23.00-05.00 requires a premises licence.
Businesses that trade from vehicles, trailers, or stalls may need a Street Trading Licence.
Toilet provision
General advice for the provision of sanitary facilities in non domestic premises - pdf document
Registering the business
Application for Food Registration
Specific advice will be given depending on the circumstances. Where necessary an officer will arrange to visit and give advice.
If you sell or provide certain foods to shops you may need special approval under European legislation and in these cases contact must be made with the Authority well in advance of any intended opening date.
Legal requirements concerning the preparation and sale of food
It is the responsibility of the Food Business Operator of a food business to ensure that their business complies with Food Safety Regulations. It is important that all risks to people arising from the operations undertaken by your business are assessed and properly controlled. If you have no experience in Food Safety you should obtain Food Hygiene Training so you understand what you should do.
Check your premises complies by filling in our Compliance Checklist.
Food Safety Act 1990
It is an offence to sell or possess food which is harmful to health, or contaminated to such an extent that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be eaten, or falsely described, advertised or presented, or not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser.
The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006.
Businesses are required to ensure that they carry out their operations safely and hygienically. The main requirements relate to Hazard Analysis, Training, Practices and Premises and Temperature Control. Below are leaflets produced by this department.
Mobile Caterers
If you wish to run a mobile catering unit please see our leaflet - mobile caterers.
Occasional Caterers
If you carry out occasional catering you may not need to be registered. However you still have an obligation to ensure food that you produce is safe for consumption. Please see our leaflet on occasional catering and the section on What can I do to prevent food poisoning? and the Food Standards Agency website for more information. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
Food Stalls
If you are having an event with Food Stalls please see our leaflet - food stalls.
Inspections
As a Food business you will be subject to inspections from food safety officers.
After any inspection a report form will be left which will identify any initial problems and will indicate the next course of action.
Food Inspection Law and your Business
Sampling
Samples of food from Food Premises are collected by inspectors to ensure food meets food safety requirements. Samples are tested by The Public Health Laboratory to set criteria for bacteria or can be sent to the Public Analysts for their expert opinion on physical contamination of food.
Sampling is usually undertaken for two reasons;
An inspector has reason to suspect food is contaminated and should not be eaten in that state as a result of a complaint or inspection.
As part of a National or European survey.
For more information please read the leaflet, Food Safety Sampling
Food Safety Award
This Authority issues Food Safety Awards for premises achieving high standards of food hygiene. For more details please read the leaflet Food Safety Awards.
Heartbeat Award
If a premises has a Food Safety Award they and provide a nutritionally balanced menu, they are eligible for the Heartbeat Award issued by West Surrey Health Authority in conjunction with Runnymede Borough Council. For more information please read the leaflet West Surrey Heartbeat Award.
Food Alerts for Action or information
Food Alerts are the Food Standards Agency's way of letting local authorities and consumers know about problems associated with food and, in some cases, providing details of specific action to be taken.
In response to these alerts you may receive a letter from either Runnymede Borough Council or Surrey County Council Trading Standards, informing you of the alert or we may visit your premises.
Information leaflets
Industry Guides
These guides were produced as a result of consultation with professional food industry and food hygiene bodies. They are the official guides to compliance with the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 but are still useful and also provide good practice advice.
They are available from Chadwick House Group Limited, on telephone 0207 827 5882 or fax 0207 827 9930. They cost approximately ������������3.50 each. The following titles are available to date:
The Catering Guide ISBN 0-900103000
The Bottled Water Guide ISBN 1904306314
The Flour Milling Guide ISBN 1902423208
The Vending and Dispensing Guide ISBN 1902423003
The Fresh Produce Guide ISBN 1902423194
The Baking Guide ISBN 0-900103558
The Retail Guide ISBN 0-900103604
The Wholesale Distributors Guide ISBN 0-900103655
The Markets and Fairs Guide ISBN 0-902423003
Information from the Food Standards Agency
Leaflets produced by Runnymede Borough Council
Food Safety Compliance checklist