Food inspections hampered by staff shortages

Concerns have been raised about the ability of a council's food safety team to complete all inspections due to staff shortages.

A report due before Hull City Council's communities scrutiny commission on Thursday said the team was operating at only 60% of "the full complement of enforcement staff".

The Food Service Plan for 2026/27 said vacant posts would need to be filled and additional contractors brought in if all inspections were to be completed.

It said an additional three to four full-time officers were needed to complete all 1,754 food standards inspections and interventions due during the period.

Under plans for the coming year, the council expects to complete about 80% of its food hygiene inspection programme, while prioritising high-risk premises, newly registered businesses and unrated food operators.

The report warned that efforts to clear overdue inspections from previous years could result in more lower-risk food businesses becoming overdue.

However, it said officers would continue to work constructively with food businesses while taking firm and proportionate action where "public health is at risk".

The report also revealed that 40 food businesses agreed to close voluntarily during 2025/26 because of serious food hygiene concerns.

There were also challenges faced by specialist inspectors, who are authorised to inspect the city's 35 approved food businesses, including major food manufacturing and processing businesses.

Only two full-time equivalent officers were currently qualified to carry out this work, compared with four previously, the report stated.

However, despite staffing pressures, the report said officers completed 90% of the planned inspections in the past year.

The completed inspections included visits to all premises deemed to be highest-risk.

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