Argyll & Bute Council's Environmental Health team resolved 85% of public complaints within 20 days, exceeding its target of 80%, in the last quarter of 2019/20, the Business Continuity Committee heard on Thursday (25 June).

This was across the team’s wide-ranging remit of services which include food safety, health and safety, public health, drinking water quality, licensing and registration of let accommodation, animal health and environmental protection.

The team plays a vital role in supporting and regulating businesses to operate safely throughout Argyll and Bute, enabling them to export products throughout the country and world-wide, as well as ensuring that residents live in a safe environment.

As well overseeing a planned programme of work to ensure that, for example, food safety and private water supplies are regularly inspected, it is the reactive work in response to concerns from members of the public or business requests that has surpassed targets in the past quarter. This work is very challenging and can take some time, in the event of the need for formal enforcement

Councillor David Kinniburgh, Policy Lead for Planning, Protective Services, and Licensing Services, said: “Our Environmental Health team provides confidence that the food we eat, the water we drink, and our work places and environments we live and visit are safe. Moving forward, as we ease out of COVID-19 restrictions, its work will be more important than ever. The assessment of physical distancing measures in commercial premises will be a critical aspect of their work in the coming weeks and months.

“Work is already in hand to support Argyll and Bute businesses to open safely so that we can begin to kick-start the local economy. Information is available on the council website: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/coronavirus/easing-lockdown-town-centres<http://track.vuelio.uk.com/z.z?l=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXJneWxsLWJ1dGUuZ292LnVrL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzL2Vhc2luZy1sb2NrZG93bi10b3duLWNlbnRyZXM%3d&r=12873316755&d=11795206&p=1&t=h&h=6b3c216a6a9b1f3dba36a18d416aebe7>.”