| Topic: | EHN online, October 2013 | |
| Posted by: | John Cameron | |
| Date/Time: | 17/02/14 10:52:00 |
| Wandsworth EHOs could be outsourced Wandsworth is cutting services The London Borough of Wandsworth is planning to drastically cut its environmental health service in preparation for potential outsourcing next year. Papers agreed by the Conservative-controlled council’s finance and corporate overview and scrutiny committee this month say environmental services and the private sector housing team will be ‘market tested’ or turned into a ‘staff mutual’. The documents say the head of environmental services and two private sector housing posts will be deleted. The remaining staff from food safety, licensing, health and safety, trading standards and private housing will be moved to the council’s public health division. The slimmed down service will no longer investigate ‘low risk’ food safety complaints and will take longer to investigate other more serious complaints. Instead businesses will be sent letters or guidance notes by EHOs. Food samples will only be carried out in Food Standards Agency (FSA) ‘directed premises’ and in response to complaints. Food businesses will be expected to pay for training and food safety advice to new businesses will be cut back. Health and safety complaints will take longer to investigate and visits will be cutback. Late night checks on licensed premises will be reduced and businesses may be charged for pre-license advice. The council will stop providing noise and complaints services from Monday to Wednesday. Housing EHOs will reduce HMO inspections and ‘set a higher threshold’ on the investigation of complaints. Trading standards will scale back age-related tobacco sale investigations and give less advice to businesses. It is expected that the cuts will save the council £230,000 every year. |