Food-lab decision is called in

The decision to close the laboratory on Martin Street, Stafford, which is used to test food products to ensure they are up to public standard, was made last month by council bosses due to the fact it was losing money.

However, councillor Susan Woodward has called the decision in on the basis that some information relating to finances was not made available to a scrutiny committee before the decision was made.

The material and the decision will be discussed again at a meeting on August 8.

Councillor Woodward said: "At the cabinet meeting, the cabinet member referred several times to the confidential financial papers relating to the decision but these had not been made available to the safer and stronger communities select committee at its meeting and I believe that they should be scrutinised properly before the decision is made."

The authority will now pay to have the work done elsewhere in a move they say will save money, however 16 jobs will be lost in the move.

Councillor Gill Heath, cabinet member for communities with Staffordshire County Council, said: "For many years we have been one of the few councils in the country to carry out this work in-house, using the good reputation of our laboratory to sell services to other local authorities and organisations.

“In recent years, the changing nature of this sector means that the laboratory in Stafford is losing money annually.

"As a well-run council we constantly review the way we work and how we can make the best use of taxpayers’ money to provide essential support and services for Staffordshire residents.

“We will, of course, continue to protect the public by providing scientific services.

"However, by commissioning the work from other providers, rather than doing it in-house, we can deliver the same service to the public at a lower cost.”