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Catering Establishments
The total number of catering establishments in the Borough is 183. One hundred
and seventy-seven of these establishments were found to be operating in a satisfactory
manner. Twenty-nine establishments required improvement in certain minor details,
and these were done by arrangement without the requirement of formal notice. Seven
establishments had defects sufficient to require the service of preliminary notices and
these notices were complied with. The service of statutory notices in respect of insufficient
watercloset accommodation, repair of premises, cleansing of premises, the
provision of hot water or sinks, was found necessary in one instance only where a summons
was served, but the work was completed before the hearing.
New Byelaws with respect to the Handling, Wrapping and Delivery of Food became
operative on the 17th July, 1950, and work was immediately commenced under Article 4(a):
" take all such steps as may reasonably be necessary to protect the food from dust, dirt, mud,
filth, dirty water, animals, rodents, flies, insects and other sources of contamination, including
contamination by other persons, and in particular shall cause the food to be so placed as to
prevent risk of contamination from such sources"; and many traders have co-operated by
covering exposed food, although a great deal of work still remains to be done before the ideal
is attained of having no uncovered food in any shop exposed so as to be in danger of contamination
by persons or by flies. Half-yearly inspections are made of schools and the opportunity
is taken to secure improvements in school canteens.
RODENT CONTROL
Local policy may be regarded as follows:—
(1) No "agreements" exist between the Council and local business premises.
From the date when this work became the responsibility of the Council,
it has been considered inadvisable that local food factories should, so to say,
contract out of their legal obligation to keep these premises free from rodent
infestation or invasion.
The managements of local food factories, and other business premises,
instead submit to the Public Health Department measures proposed by their
pest contractors; these are indicated on plan, and the work is supervised.
(2) Private dwellings are treated free of cost.
(3) Sewer treatments are carried out twice yearly.
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