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11
RODENT CONTROL
Rodent control, as approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Infestation Branch) has
been carried out in the properties below:—
Business premises 230
Borough Council properties 6
Private dwellings 946
Total 1,082
at the following cost:
Business premises £1,450 0 9
Private dwellings £2.318 17 5
Total £3,768 18 2
The cost of disinfestation at business premises is recovered from the occupiers; 120 had an annual
agreement with the Council for regular inspection and disinfestation; 9 were new agreements and 111 were
renewals. The service is free to occupiers of private dwellings; the Borough Council recovers 50 per cent of
the cost from the Ministry.
Rodent control in the Council's sewers is carried out by the Borough Engineer's Department.
Where surface rat infestation is due to faults in the connections of the house drains with the sewer, the Borough
Engineer's Department arranges for opening the pavement.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD AND FOOD PREMISES
All food premises in the borough are regularly inspected by the Public Health Inspectors (Table 39).
Improvements in premises
The Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955, which came into operation on the 1st January, 1956, prescribe
standards for the preparation, storage and sale of clean food. There has been a marked improvement in
hygiene in the production and sale of food.
Public Health Inspectors visited food premises frequently and served verbal or written notices to
improve their standards. Works in some premises are still either in progress or arrangements are being made
for them to be carried out (Tables 40, 41).
One shopkeeper was prosecuted under Regulation 9(c) of the Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955, for
smoking while handling open food. He was fined £2 on each of two charges, with £5.5.0. costs.
Premises where food is prepared
Premises which manufacture, store or sell ice-cream, or prepare or manufacture sausages, potted,
pressed, pickled or preserved foods, including cooked meat or fish intended for sale, must be registered by the
Council. If the Council refuses or cancels a registration, the owner can appeal first to them and if.unsuccessful
to a court of summary jurisdiction (Table 42).
Premises where ice-cream is manufactured are kept under constant supervision. Most of the icecream
sold in the borough is manufactured outside the district, and is usually pre-packed. The ice-cream
reaches a high standard of purity (Table 9).
Education in food hygifne
Lectures and talks, illustrated with film shows, filmstrips. and bacteriological cultures, are given to
•canteens' staff, social and political organisations, and school-leavers.
Food poisoning
It is pleasing to report that there was no outbreak of food poisoning in the borough. This is probably
a reflection of the general improvement in handling, preparation, storage and sale of food. The last outbreak
caused by food prepared in the borough was in 1955.
Food unfit for human consumption
More than 4 tons and 12,500 tins of food inspected by the Public Health Inspectors was found to be
unfit for human consumption (Table 43).
All the food was dealt with as trade refuse by the Borough Engineer's Department, and deposited on
the controlled refuse tip.