View report page

Thus it can be inferred that on average, since this Local Authority was
created in 1965 each premise has been inspected three times. However,
it has not been possible to devote sufficient attention to the difficult
problem of ensuring that the action necessary to remedy defects has in
fact taken place. It has been found expedient to adopt a policy of
informal persuasion and advice in order to secure compliance with statutory
requirements. In practice such a policy imposes a heavy burden upon the
inspectorate because numerous visits are often necessary to ensure
that recommendations are complied with. It is estimated that three revisits
are normally necessary before compliance with the Act can be secured.
In one respect the figures relating to total visits of all kinds by Inspectors
to registered premises may be misleading and biased in favour of food
premises, which are visited by Public Health Inspectors who check whether
or not the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations are being complied with and
visit food premises following complaints of unsatisfactory foodstuffs
purchased there. Moreover from the Inspectors point of view the visit to the
food shop is more productive since it enables him to see whether the general
public are being safeguarded, as well as the employees at the shop.
Associated with this inevitable bias of visits in favour of food premises has
been a dis-proportionate growth in the number of office employees over the
last ten years. In 1965 there were 3757 employees in offices and 6537 in
retail shops (a ratio of 4:7). In 1973 there were 5482 employees in offices
and 7734 in retail shops (a ratio of 5:7). This no doubt reflects the national
increase in whi te collar workers and can be expected to increase. Additionally
there tends to be more workers employed in office units - ten per unit as
opposed to five per unit in shops.
The number of professional resources devoted to the enforcement of the Act
have been influenced by:
-18-