View report page

29
Legal proceedings were taken during the year in respect of a bakery delivery van, which was
apprehended by the Police and subsequently inspected by a public health inspector, who found
unhygienic conditions to be present with accumulated dirt and filth half an inch deep on the vehicle
floor on which loaves of bread had been placed without protection. The Company operating the van
were fined a total of £50 with £7 7s. 0d. costs.
Unauthorised Street Traders
Reference has been made in past Annual Reports to the unsatisfactory situation prevailing
regarding unauthorised street trading where the standards of hygiene found on hot dog and ice
cream vendors' stalls and vans continued to give cause for anxiety due to the very real danger of
contamination of food.
The year commenced with cases being heard in Court for which offences had occurred in the
previous August. Some were successfully concluded, but in others, summonses could not be served
and warrants were issued.
The difficulties associated with the enforcement of the Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls and
Delivery Vehicles) Regulations, 1966, have mainly arisen from the inability to exercise a more
positive and effective control of the traders due to the difficulties of obtaining the required evidence.
An approach was accordingly made to the Police who agreed to co-operate, and a procedure was
introduced whereby a public health inspector on request would attend at the Police Station to
inspect the stall or vehicle of a trader, arrested by the Police for an obstruction offence. Where on
such stall or vehicle, hygiene contraventions were found to exist, the trader was charged with the
hygiene offences at the same time as the obstruction charge, and the public health inspector gave
the necessary evidence. In addition, public health inspectors accompanied Police Officers on evening
and late night tours of inspection in the West End, and street traders found by personal observation
to be contravening the Regulations were similarly dealt with. This procedure resulted in a more
speedy and efficient enforcement of the Regulations than had hitherto been possible, as all arrested
offenders were brought before the Court the day following the offences. In association with this
improved procedure, a system of printed adhesive attachments have been introduced by the Health
Department and are used by public health inspectors. Police, and the Court Officers on charge sheets
and summons applications enumerating the offences observed. A new style of report book for each
individual case has also been formulated. Both these measures have considerably assisted in
streamlining the procedural work prior to the case being heard.
Towards the end of the year the City Council delegated individual authority to public health
inspectors to institute and conduct such proceedings on its behalf in respect of offences under the
Regulations.
The Medical Officer of Health would place on record the thanks of the department to the Police
for their willing and efficient co-operation.
Thanks are also due to the City Council's Director of Cleansing who kindly loaned to the Department
portable radio sets with which the public health inspectors engaged on food control were able
to be alerted quickly, wherever they were in Westminster, to a case requiring their attention. So
successful were these "walkie-talkie" sets that it is proposed to purchase some hand-sets for use by
the Department's staff; arrangements have also been made to equip more of the department's
vehicles with two-way radio as this has made a notable contribution to efficiency.
Legal proceedings were also instituted during the year in respect of unhygienic conditions at
premises used for the storage and preparation of food associated with 'hot dogs' stalls. Seventeen
mobile stalls were found within the premises, and eight outside; none complied with the Regulations.
Although no action could be taken in respect of the stalls, as they were not at the time engaged in
trading food, contraventions of the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960 in respect of the
premises resulted in fines of £84 plus £15 15s. Od. costs. Judgement was later obtained by the
owner for possession of the premises.
Food Hygiene etc., Lectures
Again the year has seen an increased demand for lectures on subjects associated with food
hygiene and food control.
The Industrial Training Act, 1964 imposes an obligation on caterers to train their staffs, and the
public health inspector plays his part as a Health Educationalist by ensuring that he contributes to
these training courses.