Too big a bill for eating out

You reported that South Staffordshire District Council had been given £40,000 by the Food Standards Agency to help ensure restaurants serve food which meets new guidelines.

The council has called in specialist consultants to provide workshops and one-to-one coaching for up to 300 catering businesses in the area.

Have I missed something? Have I and many others who eat out in this area been subjected to poor hygiene and bad practice? What have the food and health inspectors employed by the council been doing, or are they so poor in this aspect of their work that it is necessary to call in specialists? Is it possible that you don't get the money without the specialists?

Cllr Robert Marshall believes this will "ensure food sold to people eating out in South Staffordshire is as safe as possible". This does not fill me with confidence because it implies that up to now it has not been.

Going from my own experience the catering establishments in this area have been kept to a high standard by the food inspectors, so why cannot they carry on doing what they are paid for, or is it another way to waste taxpayers' money? £40,000 between 300 or so catering establishments averages out at £133 per unit, deduct the specialist's fee and expenses and it may pay for 30 minutes one-to-one instruction.

This might seem like a minor gripe but I am sure a good number of your readers would far rather hear that the FSA and the district council had found a reason not to spend £40,000.

Bryan Goode, Wolverhampton Road, Codsall.