Food and Health & Safety Service Plan 2023-24 - Flipbook - Page 24
SERVICE DELIVERY
Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority
The legislative basis for port health enforcement is prescriptive and dynamic, driving
almost all interventions conducted by Su昀昀olk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA). As
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural A昀昀airs (DEFRA) looks to introduce new
import controls for EU goods from October 2023 as part of the Border Target Operating
Model (BTOM), there may be a realignment of legislative requirements for port health.
With potential for a more risk-based approach, greater utilisation of the Compliance and
Enforcement Policy may become necessary.
Outside of mandated interventions, SCPHA regularly engages in food monitoring and
sampling surveillance programmes. Based on intelligence, these can be at the request
of the Food Standards Agency and DEFRA, or as a result of in-house requirements.
Monitoring and surveillance programmes always aim to provide greater insight into
potential, ongoing or emerging threats to food security at the border and enable
smarter targeting for the future.
SCPHA’s service is resourced based on current and projected levels of required
intervention, with the ability to 昀氀ex to some degree. Appendix 7 provides an outline of
SCPHA’s current activities.
Corporate Health and Safety
The Corporate Health and Safety Team has a planned programme of work each year
that is completed alongside reactive work.
To give assurance that contractors are complying with health and safety law whilst
providing services such as waste collection and grounds maintenance, the team
audits the council’s main contractor that delivers services on behalf of the council. We
also audit the procedures departments have in place to ensure the risks are being
adequately controlled.
Our Health and Safety Advisors collaborate with team leaders to assess risks and devise
safe systems of work.
The Corporate Health and Safety Team reviews event management plans submitted
with applications to use East Su昀昀olk Council land for events and advises teams within
the council when they engage in running community events such as the national cycle
races.
Health and Safety compliance within the council and SCPHA is one of several Corporate
Risks that are monitored and reviewed regularly.
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East Suffolk Food and Health & Safety Service Plan 2023/24