Rats, out of date food and counterfeit booze: Action plan on Walsall food horrors
Rat infestations, out of date food and counterfeit booze are among the horrors that sparked almost 400 complaints to Walsall Council in a year.
Walsall’s food law enforcement plan was presented to the authority’s cabinet on Wednesday, outlining aims to drive up standards in hygiene and safety across the borough.
Figures presented showed 383 complaints regarding food or food hygiene in premises were lodged in 2020/21.
Further data showed that officers carried out 152 food standards visits, which resulted in the seizure of 200 items of out-of-date food and a further 77 bottles of counterfeit wine and vodka.
The number of prosecutions or legal actions which lead to closures, fines, prohibition notices or warnings are on the decrease as officers look to work with traders to rectify issues.
In 2020/21, there were seven legal actions, compared with 24 the year before and 35 in 2018/19.
More than 100 premises inspected were rated as less than satisfactory, with 51 awarded two stars out of five (meaning an improvement is necessary), 54 with one star (major improvement needed) and one with zero stars (urgent improvement).
But, in more positive news, 785 premises had five stars (very good) on the food hygiene ratings, 372 with four stars (good) and 294 with three (satisfactory).
Councillor Garry Perry, portfolio holder for community, leisure and culture, said: “Food law enforcement has never been as important as it is today.
“We all know the pandemic and our response is built on our ability to practice good hygiene. When you’re handling food being sold to the public it really is a top priority.
“One business was closed under emergency legislation and two improvement notices were served.
“When we close a business, we don’t do it lightly. The intention is to work proactively with business owners when we identify a problem to get that put right.
“Sometimes you need to, and often when we use emergency powers, that’s when you see things such as rat infestations, mice and generally shocking standards.
“All of these can have an impact on the wellbeing and welfare of the people of Walsall.
“I often see comments when we report some of the actions we take around food on social media, having a go when we tackle counterfeit goods.
“But it remains a priority of mine that we continue to promote and push those (actions) forward.”
