BUSINESSEAST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL’S

newsletter

SUMMER 2015 - FREE!

Welcome to the summer edition of East Northamptonshire Council’s business newsletter. There are a wide range of articles within these

pages including tips on keeping barbeques safe now the weather is warming up, tips on gas & electrical safety and details of Small Business Saturday later this year. As usual, if you want further information or assistance on anything covered please contact us:

01832 742055 healthprotection@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk

Or call into reception at Cedar Drive, Thrapston, Northamptonshire NN14 4LZ Even a good old-fashioned letter will reach us and we will get back to you!

introductionwww.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/business @ENCouncil

Designed and printed at

0093CLH10 JULY 2015

Is there a topic you would like to see covered in our business newsletter?If there is then let us know and we will try and include it in a future edition. Happy reading!

During the summer, Health Protection will be sending out a questionnaire to all childminders in our district, to establish what levels of food handling/preparation are carried out at each establishment and if we perceive there to be a food safety risk involved.

Food safety is very important for childcare because children are a vulnerable group. This means children can be more seriously affected by food poisoning and food allergy than some other groups of people. If you are starting up a childminder business in England you need to register with Ofsted.

If you are planning to start up a childminder business that provides food as part of your childminding service, in England, you do not need to register separately as a food business with your local authority. This will happen automatically when you register with Ofsted. This only applies for registrations made on or after 1 January 2014, and is part of the government’s commitment to reduce the burden on business.

If your childminder business does need an inspection, a food safety officer will contact you to arrange a suitable time to visit. The officer will talk about food hygiene and food safety to help make sure the food you give to any children is prepared, stored and handled safely.

If you are carrying out higher risk food activities as part of your childminder service, we may well visit to do a food hygiene inspection. Higher risk activities might include:• providing a large number of meals per day as part of your normal childminding service• producing certain homemade foods such as baby food or sous-vide cooking• producing your own meals for chilled storage and reheating• certain storage activities – vacuum packing or making and then canning or jarring homemade chutneys,

flavoured oils and other products, for example.

If you want further information please contact the Health Protection team on 01832 742055.

Childminders

ENTERTAINMENT EXEMPTIONS UNDER THELICENSING ACT FROM 6 APRIL 2015Live MusicLive amplified music in on-licensed premises authorised and open for the sale of alcohol does not require a licence for audiences up to 500 (a 300 increase) from 8am until 11pm. This includes beer gardens and terraces if they are included in the licensed premises. If a beer garden is not shown on the licensed plans then it is likely to nevertheless be a workplace which benefits from a similar exemption. Live unamplified music does not need a licence anywhere and with no audience limit between 8am and 11pm.

Recorded MusicRecorded music in on-licensed premises authorised and open for the sale of alcohol does not require a licence for audiences up to 500 from 8am until 11pm. This covers DJs and discos and is a new development, as until now most recorded music above background level has been licensable under the Act. There is no equivalent "workplace" exemption. Background live and recorded music continues to be exempt.

Despite the changes, it’s wise to ensure that you are not causing annoyance with the volume of any entertainment at your premises as if there are constant complaints or issues, the licence can be called in for review.

Councils also retain their existing powers to deal with persons causing noise where it is deemed to be a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Upon conviction, businesses can face a fine of up to £20,000 for breaching any noise abatement notice served on them after the Council has carried out an investigation. If you need further information on how noise complaints are investigated, then please contact the Environmental Protection team on 01832 742263.

Temporary Event NoticesThe limit on the number of temporary events that can be held at a single premises will increase from 12 to 15 per year from 1 January 2016.

Planning Applications Planning permission is required for most building work and changes of use of land and buildings. If you write to us we will let you know if the work you propose requires planning permission. A Duty Officer is available at the front reception desk between 9am to 1pm to answer general queries. For more information:www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/developmentcontrol | planning@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk | 01832 742225

Print and design services We offer a high quality, low cost print and design service for "not for profit" organisations working in the charity and public sector. For a free, no obligation quotation or to request further details please complete the on-line form at www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/theprintroom

LicensingThe Northamptonshire Licensing Partnership is a centralised unit which processes all licences under the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005 and Environmental Health Licensing. (Taxi licences are issued by our Health Protection Team). All licensing applications forms are available online via our website. We can help you fill in forms and offer advice on licence requirements. For more information:www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/licensing | licensingunit@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk | 01832 742102

Other council services

Abandoned Vehicles (E.L.V.I.S) 08456 121 999 | Business Rates 01832 742011Health Protection - including: food hygiene, health & safety 01832 742263Licensing (liquor & entertainment) 01832 742102Licensing (taxi) 01832 742057 | Out of Hours (emergencies only) 01832 733530Payments 01832 742259 | Planning Enquires 01832 742225Waste Management - including commercial waste and fly tipping 01832 742026Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership 01604 609 393Highways (Northamptonshire County Council) 0300 126 1000

useful tel numbers:

Northamptonshire County Council Trading Standards have investigated 2 incidents inthe last few months where consumers have suffered allergic reactions to supposedlyallergen free meals. On both occasions consumers had to use an adrenaline injection they had with them before being taken to hospital. Luckily both consumers were later released but a case in North Yorkshire where a man died from an allergic reaction to his takeaway meal highlights the potential effect. The owner of the business has recently been charged with manslaughter.

These incidents highlight the need for businesses to be aware of what allergens are present in their kitchens and review how they control them. Some of the causes identified in the investigations were oil used for frying peanuts being used later as general oil and using ground almond that also contained ground peanut without this being made clear.

As peanuts are cheaper than almonds adulteration or blending can occur so businesses need to be very clear on what they are buying and using. Decanting a product from its labelled box can mean information is lost. In one case the delivery had no labelling to make clear what the product was but it was still accepted. Not checking invoices properly to confirm no substitution has been made are all simple steps businesses should be taking to prevent potentially serious problems.

In addition to the investigations into these allergic incidents Trading Standards has also conducted a survey into the use of colours in sauces. They found that 22 out of 24 takeaway meals tested contained non-permitted colours. Similar results were found across the country.

A red colouring Ponceau 4R (E124) is only permitted in a limited range of products in small quantities. It has not been permitted in sauces or seasonings since June 2013 but many businesses seem unaware of this. The restrictions on the use of E124 are linked to hyperactivity concerns and the US and Norway have banned it as something which may cause cancers. Other restricted colours found included Quinoline Yellow (E104) and Sunset Yellow (E110).

Trading Standards advise businesses to check the colours they are using as often they are clearly labelled, as well as their instructions to avoid excessive and non-permitted colours in the meals they serve.

To address these and other concerns, and to support local businesses, Trading Standards is working in conjunction with East Northamptonshire District Council to provide allergen training to a range of small businesses, including caterers and takeaways. There is also a range of advice information at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/TSBusiness-support.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND ILLEGAL COLOURSConcerns over eating out expressed by

Takeaway meal with colours Takeaway meal without colours

TATTOO HYGIENE RATING SCHEME (THRS)Think before you ink!

The inspection: The criteria we cover when inspecting the premises for the scheme are:

• Cleanliness- premises, fittings and equipment • Record keeping• Hygiene of operators • Personal protective equipment • Membership of a trade or professional body

Once you have been assessed you will receive a certificate and a window sticker that will show the rating (between 1 and 4) that was awarded at the time of the assessment. You will be required to display the sticker in your window for the public to view. A good score will give your customers the confidence to choose a tattoo in a studio that is part of a national scheme.

For more information please contact the Health Protection team on (01832) 742055.

If you are a registered Tattooist with East Northamptonshire Council you can now be part of a voluntary rating scheme that aims to promote good practice and hygiene within tattoo studios.

If you take part in the scheme it will be of benefit to you as it will allow for increased publicity and promotion of your business. This will be done through uploading ratings with studio names and information on our website. Ratings and information will also be uploaded to the THRS twitter feed.

If you choose to take part in this scheme you will get an advisory visit from an officer where you will be offered guidance and support and they will inform you of any recommendations required to achieve the highest score of 4. We will work with you to help you to achieve the best score possible whilst promoting your business through social media.

We appreciate the difficulties of running a business and that you may be busy with customers therefore all visits will be made at a time convenient for you.

Many local authorities have adopted this scheme in the UK and it is predicted it will become more recognised over time. It would be of great benefit for you to get involved at the early stages. For those tattooists who are really keen on joining it is hoped that you can set an example to artists throughout the district as well as the UK.

As well as the promotional aspect that could lead to more customers another aim is to improve the hygiene standards of tattoo studios and to have consistently high standards and practices throughout East Northamptonshire.

INTRODUCING THE EAT OUT EAT WELL AWARDEast Northamptonshire Council in conjunction with the rest of Northamptonshire have recently adopted a new healthy eating award – Eat Out Eat Well. This award will replace the County’s long running Heartbeat award, building on its success while continuing to raise the profile of healthy eating among consumers.

Eat Out Eat Well recognises and rewards catering businessesthat promote healthier food choices for their customers. The award:• is free of charge• is valid for a period of two years• is easy to implement and manage• has three levels – bronze, silver and gold• is supported by free promotional material

Food businesses that hold an existing Heartbeat award will be moved overto the Eat Out Eat Well scheme in the next couple of months. For moreinformation on Eat Out Eat Well including how your food business can applyfor and receive the award, please contact the Health Protection Team on 01832 742055.

About four in five cases of campylobacter food poisoning in the UK can be traced back to poultry meat contaminated with the bacterium. To tackle this, and reduce contamination on UK-produced chickens, the whole food chain needs to play its part.

The Acting on Campylobacter Together campaign (ACT) is part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) work to bring together the whole of the food chain from ‘farm to fork’

– including chicken producers, processors, caterers, retailers and consumers.

We have asked farmers and producers to reduce the number of flocks of broilers (chickens grown for meat) that contain campylobacter when they are presented for slaughter.

This will include carrying out comprehensive monitoring of flocks and maximising the effectiveness of

biosecurity, for example by working through third party assurance schemes to drive a change in culture and the consistent application of best practice. Industry could also incentivise producers to reduce flock colonisation by rewarding those who have no, or low, levels of campylobacter infection pre-slaughter.

Slaughterhouses and processors to make sure that their processes minimise the levels of contamination

CAMPYLOBACTERfrom farm to fork

DISPOSING OF FOOD WASTE,FATS, OILS AND GREASE Pipe blockages, flooding and pollution are not only damaging to the environment but are also costly to your business. There are many methods that you can follow to prevent damage as well as save money:

For more advice go to www.anglianwater.co.uk/keepitclear

If you would like a Safe Method insert of how to dispose of food waste, fats, oils and grease for your Safer Food Better Business pack please contact the Health Protection team on (01832) 742055.

Barbecue safetyWith the weather finally starting to be more like summer you may be thinking of providing a barbecue for your customers. Below are some helpful hints and tips on providing safe food and avoiding cross contamination by the bugs that can cause food poisoning.

• Wait until the charcoal is glowing red, with a powdery grey surface, before you start to cook.

• Make sure frozen food is properly thawed before you cook it.• Turn the food regularly, and move it around the barbecue, to cook it evenly.• Check that the food is piping hot all the way through.• Make sure there isn’t any pink meat left in poultry, pork, sausages and

kebabs, and that any juices run clear.• Stop raw meat from touching or dripping onto other food.• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.• Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat.• Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has been used for raw

meat (unless it has been washed thoroughly).• Don’t put raw meat products next to cooked or partially cooked meat on the barbecue.• Don’t add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used with raw meat.• Even if meat is burnt on the outside, it might not be cooked properly on the inside. So cook food evenly over a

steady heat and always check that it’s cooked in the middle.• If you’re barbecuing for lots of people, you could cook meat indoors and finish it off on the barbecue for added

flavour (but make sure it’s piping hot all the way through).• Warm weather is perfect for bugs to grow. Try to keep food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.

• Scrape plates, pans and utensils in to the bin, ideally into a separate food waste bin – if fats, oils and grease and food waste build up in the pipes this can cause blockages. You could be fined for allowing oil and food scraps to cause the blockage under Section 11 of the Water Industry Act

• Before washing oily pots and pans, wipe them with a paper towel and put the towel in the bin – again to prevent pipes from blocking. If toilets won’t flush or drains back up and cause internal flooding you could be forced to close until the problem is sorted

• Use a strainer to stop food from going down the plug hole and empty the waste food in to the bin (preferably a separate food waste bin)

• Collect used fat, oil and grease in a sealed, secure container – blockages can also cause bad smells, loss of reputation and potential business

• Make sure you keep it in a designated area away from contact with incoming or outgoing food and ensure the area is easy to clean and disinfect – over flowing drains can be smelly and attract pests

• Contact a registered waste carrier for the collection of used fats, oils and grease – a registered waste carrier will give you a legal document called a Waste Transfer Note in return for the used fats, oils and grease. Some carriers will pay you as they can convert the waste to biodiesel

• Keep records of how much fat, oil and grease has been collected by the waste carrier and keep the Waste Transfer note on your premises for 2 years in case you get inspected

• If you are using grease traps or bacteriological dosing make sure the equipment is regularly maintained and operated to the manufacturers instructions – fats and oils collected in grease traps should be emptied regularly and taken away by a registered waste carrier

• Train your staff on how to prevent blockages as it’s everyone’s responsibility

Remember: Always wash your hands after touching waste materials and after cleaning.

Food safety trainingFrom cross-contamination to cleaning, if you work in catering you’ll know how important food safety is. To help businesses achieve good food hygiene we offer training for those handling high-risk foods.

For just £72 you can be taught the Level 2 Food Safety in Catering course by tutors approved by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. You will also receive a course handbook, examination registration, a buffet lunch and refreshments.

Your next chance to attend the course is Thursday, 15 September 2015, 8:45am – 5.15pm.It takes place at East Northamptonshire Council, Cedar Drive, Thrapston and weadvise all those working in catering to attend. Places are also available for courseson 12 November 2015 and 20 January 2016.

For more information on the food safety training we offer, visitwww.eastnorthamptonshire.gov.uk/foodsafetytrainingTo book a place on the course, please emailhealthprotection@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk or call 01832 742263.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT: MAINTAINING IT SAFELYHow often should I test my electrical equipment?Electrical equipment should be visually checked to spot early signs of damage or deterioration. Equipment should be more thoroughly tested by a competent person often enough that there is little chance the equipment will become dangerous between tests. Equipment used in a harsh environment should be tested more frequently than equipment that is less likely to become damaged or unsafe.

It is good practice to make a decision on how often each piece of equipment should be checked, write this down, make sure checks are carried out accordingly and write down the results. You should change how often you carry out checks, according to the number and severity of faults found.

For more information, see the guidance booklets, available from the HSE website: Electrical safety and you: A brief guide www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg231.htmMaintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg107.htm

in the birds they produce. This should include a sharpened focus on current good hygienic practices in relation to plucking, evisceration, washing and chilling processes, to ensure good hygiene is applied effectively and consistently.

Retailers and supermarkets to play their role by, for example, advising their customers not to wash raw chicken and to cook it thoroughly, and to provide clear information about hygienic handling of their products, safe cooking, hygienic disposal of packaging, and methods to

reduce cross-contamination.

Caterers to follow good hygiene practices at all times and ensure that their staff are aware of the risks from raw poultry and work harder to avoid cross-contamination during handling or from under-cooking.

Consumers to reflect on whether the way they handle chicken in their homes creates food poisoning risks for themselves and their families. To help, the FSA will play its part by providing

guidance to consumers and undertake studies on how to help change consumer behaviour around food preparation and in terms of general hand hygiene.

Local government partners to help raise awareness of campylobacter and ensure that food businesses using chilled poultry meat are aware of the risks and are maintaining the highest standards of hygiene.

For more informationwww.food.gov.uk/chickenchallenge

Superfast NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire County Council is leading a project working with the Government, local partners and telecom providers. This is promoting and securing investment in “next generation” broadband infrastructure. It aims to bring access to superfast broadband (speeds above 24Mbps) to local people and businesses over a two year period.

The Superfast Northamptonshire project is focussed on securing solutions for areas which would otherwise find it difficult to access this system. This will be particularly beneficial in rural areas.

This is a major civil engineering project delivering many hundreds of miles of optical fibre across the County. Superfast broadband will provide many benefits both at home and in the workplace.

If you run a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) based in Northamptonshire you may be able to get funding to improve your broadband service through the Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme.

From 1 April 2015 SME’s can apply for a voucher of up to £3000 to improve their broadband by upgrading to a much higher speed and more reliable internet connection.

The scheme is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and is part of the national Superfast Britain Programme. The voucher scheme will run until 31 March 2016 but vouchers are being offered on a first come, first served basis.

For more information about how the project is progressing andvoucher opportunities visit www.superfastnorthamptonshire.netor call 024 7683 1833.

SAFER FOOD, BETTER BUSINESS (SFBB)There are a number of SFBB packs available that are designedto meet the specific needs of different types of food businesses:

• small catering businesses• small retail businesses• restaurants and takeaways serving Chinese or

Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cuisines

• childminders• care homes supplement, designed for use with

the caterer’s pack

Need a pack or diary refill?To get started with SFBB, download the relevant PDF from www.food.gov.uk/sfbb and save it to your desktop before you start work on it. Once the PDF has been saved onto your desktop, open it up and you can then print it, or start logging in your daily safety checks and records online. Downloading files and saving them on your desktop first, will help you avoid strange symbols appearing on your printed copies.

You can also access the new print-friendly version of the diary refill sheets from the same website address. This new version can be filled in electronically and allows you to download the diary pages onto your computer desktop, fill them in, name them for the appropriate month and year and store them electronically, if you prefer.

Unfortunately we can no longer supply the pack and refill diary sheets for free. You can either download a copy from the above website or you can pay us a nominal fee of £10 for an SFBB pack or £5 for the related diary sheets for us to supply you with them.

GAS SAFETY WEEK14-20 September 2015Gas Safety Week is a national safety campaign to raise awareness of gas safety in the UK's 23 million gas fuelled homes/premises. It is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register with support from the gas industry including retailers, manufacturers, consumer bodies and the public.

Why get involved?Be part of a national safety campaign, joining thousands of organisations across the UK to help people stay safe as well as raising the profile of your organisation. Here are some of the reasons that businesses take part:

• Corporate social responsibility - help to protect your customers and save lives.• September is the start of the heating season, many people will be turning on their boilers.• Gas Safety Week is a national campaign with extensive national and regional media coverage - the

campaign reached over 147 million people in 2014.• 4,321 organisations supported Gas Safety Week 2014 - don't miss out to your competitors.• Improve your brand awareness - all supporters appear on the website.

To pledge your support, or for more information please visitwww.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/gas_safety_week.aspx The law places a duty on the responsible person (employer) at any place of work to ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipe work or flue under their control, is maintained in a safe condition to prevent risk of injury. (The Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998, Regulation 35) One way of achieving this is to have paperwork that shows the gas installation and appliances have been safety checked/serviced at least annually by an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

For more information regarding gas safety please refer towww.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/gas_safe_fact_sheets.aspx

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER 2015Would you like to take part in Small Business Saturday?This event celebrates small businesses within our community and encourages people to shop locally and support local services. Now entering its third year, Small Business Saturday is one of the most successful national small business campaigns. Last year 16.5 million adults went out to support a small business as part of the celebrations.

The UK’s small businesses provide an amazing 60% of private sector jobs and nearly 50% of private sector turnover.

Each day for the 100 days leading up to the event a business will be selected to be profiled as part of the campaign. This will provide media opportunity both nationally and locally. Selected businesses will also be invited to take part in small business Saturday events throughout the year.

In previous years these celebrations have included events hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Downing Street. If you would like to take part in Small Business Saturday or would like to apply for the chance to be included in Small Business Saturday 100 find out more at www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com.

Superfast NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire County Council is leading a project working with the Government, local partners and telecom providers. This is promoting and securing investment in “next generation” broadband infrastructure. It aims to bring access to superfast broadband (speeds above 24Mbps) to local people and businesses over a two year period.

The Superfast Northamptonshire project is focussed on securing solutions for areas which would otherwise find it difficult to access this system. This will be particularly beneficial in rural areas.

This is a major civil engineering project delivering many hundreds of miles of optical fibre across the County. Superfast broadband will provide many benefits both at home and in the workplace.

If you run a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) based in Northamptonshire you may be able to get funding to improve your broadband service through the Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme.

From 1 April 2015 SME’s can apply for a voucher of up to £3000 to improve their broadband by upgrading to a much higher speed and more reliable internet connection.

The scheme is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and is part of the national Superfast Britain Programme. The voucher scheme will run until 31 March 2016 but vouchers are being offered on a first come, first served basis.

For more information about how the project is progressing andvoucher opportunities visit www.superfastnorthamptonshire.netor call 024 7683 1833.

SAFER FOOD, BETTER BUSINESS (SFBB)There are a number of SFBB packs available that are designedto meet the specific needs of different types of food businesses:

• small catering businesses• small retail businesses• restaurants and takeaways serving Chinese or

Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cuisines

• childminders• care homes supplement, designed for use with

the caterer’s pack

Need a pack or diary refill?To get started with SFBB, download the relevant PDF from www.food.gov.uk/sfbb and save it to your desktop before you start work on it. Once the PDF has been saved onto your desktop, open it up and you can then print it, or start logging in your daily safety checks and records online. Downloading files and saving them on your desktop first, will help you avoid strange symbols appearing on your printed copies.

You can also access the new print-friendly version of the diary refill sheets from the same website address. This new version can be filled in electronically and allows you to download the diary pages onto your computer desktop, fill them in, name them for the appropriate month and year and store them electronically, if you prefer.

Unfortunately we can no longer supply the pack and refill diary sheets for free. You can either download a copy from the above website or you can pay us a nominal fee of £10 for an SFBB pack or £5 for the related diary sheets for us to supply you with them.

GAS SAFETY WEEK14-20 September 2015Gas Safety Week is a national safety campaign to raise awareness of gas safety in the UK's 23 million gas fuelled homes/premises. It is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register with support from the gas industry including retailers, manufacturers, consumer bodies and the public.

Why get involved?Be part of a national safety campaign, joining thousands of organisations across the UK to help people stay safe as well as raising the profile of your organisation. Here are some of the reasons that businesses take part:

• Corporate social responsibility - help to protect your customers and save lives.• September is the start of the heating season, many people will be turning on their boilers.• Gas Safety Week is a national campaign with extensive national and regional media coverage - the

campaign reached over 147 million people in 2014.• 4,321 organisations supported Gas Safety Week 2014 - don't miss out to your competitors.• Improve your brand awareness - all supporters appear on the website.

To pledge your support, or for more information please visitwww.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/gas_safety_week.aspx The law places a duty on the responsible person (employer) at any place of work to ensure that any gas appliance, installation pipe work or flue under their control, is maintained in a safe condition to prevent risk of injury. (The Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998, Regulation 35) One way of achieving this is to have paperwork that shows the gas installation and appliances have been safety checked/serviced at least annually by an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

For more information regarding gas safety please refer towww.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/gas_safe_fact_sheets.aspx

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER 2015Would you like to take part in Small Business Saturday?This event celebrates small businesses within our community and encourages people to shop locally and support local services. Now entering its third year, Small Business Saturday is one of the most successful national small business campaigns. Last year 16.5 million adults went out to support a small business as part of the celebrations.

The UK’s small businesses provide an amazing 60% of private sector jobs and nearly 50% of private sector turnover.

Each day for the 100 days leading up to the event a business will be selected to be profiled as part of the campaign. This will provide media opportunity both nationally and locally. Selected businesses will also be invited to take part in small business Saturday events throughout the year.

In previous years these celebrations have included events hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Downing Street. If you would like to take part in Small Business Saturday or would like to apply for the chance to be included in Small Business Saturday 100 find out more at www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com.

DISPOSING OF FOOD WASTE,FATS, OILS AND GREASE Pipe blockages, flooding and pollution are not only damaging to the environment but are also costly to your business. There are many methods that you can follow to prevent damage as well as save money:

For more advice go to www.anglianwater.co.uk/keepitclear

If you would like a Safe Method insert of how to dispose of food waste, fats, oils and grease for your Safer Food Better Business pack please contact the Health Protection team on (01832) 742055.

Barbecue safetyWith the weather finally starting to be more like summer you may be thinking of providing a barbecue for your customers. Below are some helpful hints and tips on providing safe food and avoiding cross contamination by the bugs that can cause food poisoning.

• Wait until the charcoal is glowing red, with a powdery grey surface, before you start to cook.

• Make sure frozen food is properly thawed before you cook it.• Turn the food regularly, and move it around the barbecue, to cook it evenly.• Check that the food is piping hot all the way through.• Make sure there isn’t any pink meat left in poultry, pork, sausages and

kebabs, and that any juices run clear.• Stop raw meat from touching or dripping onto other food.• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.• Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat.• Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has been used for raw

meat (unless it has been washed thoroughly).• Don’t put raw meat products next to cooked or partially cooked meat on the barbecue.• Don’t add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used with raw meat.• Even if meat is burnt on the outside, it might not be cooked properly on the inside. So cook food evenly over a

steady heat and always check that it’s cooked in the middle.• If you’re barbecuing for lots of people, you could cook meat indoors and finish it off on the barbecue for added

flavour (but make sure it’s piping hot all the way through).• Warm weather is perfect for bugs to grow. Try to keep food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.

• Scrape plates, pans and utensils in to the bin, ideally into a separate food waste bin – if fats, oils and grease and food waste build up in the pipes this can cause blockages. You could be fined for allowing oil and food scraps to cause the blockage under Section 11 of the Water Industry Act

• Before washing oily pots and pans, wipe them with a paper towel and put the towel in the bin – again to prevent pipes from blocking. If toilets won’t flush or drains back up and cause internal flooding you could be forced to close until the problem is sorted

• Use a strainer to stop food from going down the plug hole and empty the waste food in to the bin (preferably a separate food waste bin)

• Collect used fat, oil and grease in a sealed, secure container – blockages can also cause bad smells, loss of reputation and potential business

• Make sure you keep it in a designated area away from contact with incoming or outgoing food and ensure the area is easy to clean and disinfect – over flowing drains can be smelly and attract pests

• Contact a registered waste carrier for the collection of used fats, oils and grease – a registered waste carrier will give you a legal document called a Waste Transfer Note in return for the used fats, oils and grease. Some carriers will pay you as they can convert the waste to biodiesel

• Keep records of how much fat, oil and grease has been collected by the waste carrier and keep the Waste Transfer note on your premises for 2 years in case you get inspected

• If you are using grease traps or bacteriological dosing make sure the equipment is regularly maintained and operated to the manufacturers instructions – fats and oils collected in grease traps should be emptied regularly and taken away by a registered waste carrier

• Train your staff on how to prevent blockages as it’s everyone’s responsibility

Remember: Always wash your hands after touching waste materials and after cleaning.

Food safety trainingFrom cross-contamination to cleaning, if you work in catering you’ll know how important food safety is. To help businesses achieve good food hygiene we offer training for those handling high-risk foods.

For just £72 you can be taught the Level 2 Food Safety in Catering course by tutors approved by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. You will also receive a course handbook, examination registration, a buffet lunch and refreshments.

Your next chance to attend the course is Thursday, 15 September 2015, 8:45am – 5.15pm.It takes place at East Northamptonshire Council, Cedar Drive, Thrapston and weadvise all those working in catering to attend. Places are also available for courseson 12 November 2015 and 20 January 2016.

For more information on the food safety training we offer, visitwww.eastnorthamptonshire.gov.uk/foodsafetytrainingTo book a place on the course, please emailhealthprotection@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk or call 01832 742263.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT: MAINTAINING IT SAFELYHow often should I test my electrical equipment?Electrical equipment should be visually checked to spot early signs of damage or deterioration. Equipment should be more thoroughly tested by a competent person often enough that there is little chance the equipment will become dangerous between tests. Equipment used in a harsh environment should be tested more frequently than equipment that is less likely to become damaged or unsafe.

It is good practice to make a decision on how often each piece of equipment should be checked, write this down, make sure checks are carried out accordingly and write down the results. You should change how often you carry out checks, according to the number and severity of faults found.

For more information, see the guidance booklets, available from the HSE website: Electrical safety and you: A brief guide www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg231.htmMaintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg107.htm

in the birds they produce. This should include a sharpened focus on current good hygienic practices in relation to plucking, evisceration, washing and chilling processes, to ensure good hygiene is applied effectively and consistently.

Retailers and supermarkets to play their role by, for example, advising their customers not to wash raw chicken and to cook it thoroughly, and to provide clear information about hygienic handling of their products, safe cooking, hygienic disposal of packaging, and methods to

reduce cross-contamination.

Caterers to follow good hygiene practices at all times and ensure that their staff are aware of the risks from raw poultry and work harder to avoid cross-contamination during handling or from under-cooking.

Consumers to reflect on whether the way they handle chicken in their homes creates food poisoning risks for themselves and their families. To help, the FSA will play its part by providing

guidance to consumers and undertake studies on how to help change consumer behaviour around food preparation and in terms of general hand hygiene.

Local government partners to help raise awareness of campylobacter and ensure that food businesses using chilled poultry meat are aware of the risks and are maintaining the highest standards of hygiene.

For more informationwww.food.gov.uk/chickenchallenge

Northamptonshire County Council Trading Standards have investigated 2 incidents inthe last few months where consumers have suffered allergic reactions to supposedlyallergen free meals. On both occasions consumers had to use an adrenaline injection they had with them before being taken to hospital. Luckily both consumers were later released but a case in North Yorkshire where a man died from an allergic reaction to his takeaway meal highlights the potential effect. The owner of the business has recently been charged with manslaughter.

These incidents highlight the need for businesses to be aware of what allergens are present in their kitchens and review how they control them. Some of the causes identified in the investigations were oil used for frying peanuts being used later as general oil and using ground almond that also contained ground peanut without this being made clear.

As peanuts are cheaper than almonds adulteration or blending can occur so businesses need to be very clear on what they are buying and using. Decanting a product from its labelled box can mean information is lost. In one case the delivery had no labelling to make clear what the product was but it was still accepted. Not checking invoices properly to confirm no substitution has been made are all simple steps businesses should be taking to prevent potentially serious problems.

In addition to the investigations into these allergic incidents Trading Standards has also conducted a survey into the use of colours in sauces. They found that 22 out of 24 takeaway meals tested contained non-permitted colours. Similar results were found across the country.

A red colouring Ponceau 4R (E124) is only permitted in a limited range of products in small quantities. It has not been permitted in sauces or seasonings since June 2013 but many businesses seem unaware of this. The restrictions on the use of E124 are linked to hyperactivity concerns and the US and Norway have banned it as something which may cause cancers. Other restricted colours found included Quinoline Yellow (E104) and Sunset Yellow (E110).

Trading Standards advise businesses to check the colours they are using as often they are clearly labelled, as well as their instructions to avoid excessive and non-permitted colours in the meals they serve.

To address these and other concerns, and to support local businesses, Trading Standards is working in conjunction with East Northamptonshire District Council to provide allergen training to a range of small businesses, including caterers and takeaways. There is also a range of advice information at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/TSBusiness-support.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND ILLEGAL COLOURSConcerns over eating out expressed by

Takeaway meal with colours Takeaway meal without colours

TATTOO HYGIENE RATING SCHEME (THRS)Think before you ink!

The inspection: The criteria we cover when inspecting the premises for the scheme are:

• Cleanliness- premises, fittings and equipment • Record keeping• Hygiene of operators • Personal protective equipment • Membership of a trade or professional body

Once you have been assessed you will receive a certificate and a window sticker that will show the rating (between 1 and 4) that was awarded at the time of the assessment. You will be required to display the sticker in your window for the public to view. A good score will give your customers the confidence to choose a tattoo in a studio that is part of a national scheme.

For more information please contact the Health Protection team on (01832) 742055.

If you are a registered Tattooist with East Northamptonshire Council you can now be part of a voluntary rating scheme that aims to promote good practice and hygiene within tattoo studios.

If you take part in the scheme it will be of benefit to you as it will allow for increased publicity and promotion of your business. This will be done through uploading ratings with studio names and information on our website. Ratings and information will also be uploaded to the THRS twitter feed.

If you choose to take part in this scheme you will get an advisory visit from an officer where you will be offered guidance and support and they will inform you of any recommendations required to achieve the highest score of 4. We will work with you to help you to achieve the best score possible whilst promoting your business through social media.

We appreciate the difficulties of running a business and that you may be busy with customers therefore all visits will be made at a time convenient for you.

Many local authorities have adopted this scheme in the UK and it is predicted it will become more recognised over time. It would be of great benefit for you to get involved at the early stages. For those tattooists who are really keen on joining it is hoped that you can set an example to artists throughout the district as well as the UK.

As well as the promotional aspect that could lead to more customers another aim is to improve the hygiene standards of tattoo studios and to have consistently high standards and practices throughout East Northamptonshire.

INTRODUCING THE EAT OUT EAT WELL AWARDEast Northamptonshire Council in conjunction with the rest of Northamptonshire have recently adopted a new healthy eating award – Eat Out Eat Well. This award will replace the County’s long running Heartbeat award, building on its success while continuing to raise the profile of healthy eating among consumers.

Eat Out Eat Well recognises and rewards catering businessesthat promote healthier food choices for their customers. The award:• is free of charge• is valid for a period of two years• is easy to implement and manage• has three levels – bronze, silver and gold• is supported by free promotional material

Food businesses that hold an existing Heartbeat award will be moved overto the Eat Out Eat Well scheme in the next couple of months. For moreinformation on Eat Out Eat Well including how your food business can applyfor and receive the award, please contact the Health Protection Team on 01832 742055.

About four in five cases of campylobacter food poisoning in the UK can be traced back to poultry meat contaminated with the bacterium. To tackle this, and reduce contamination on UK-produced chickens, the whole food chain needs to play its part.

The Acting on Campylobacter Together campaign (ACT) is part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) work to bring together the whole of the food chain from ‘farm to fork’

– including chicken producers, processors, caterers, retailers and consumers.

We have asked farmers and producers to reduce the number of flocks of broilers (chickens grown for meat) that contain campylobacter when they are presented for slaughter.

This will include carrying out comprehensive monitoring of flocks and maximising the effectiveness of

biosecurity, for example by working through third party assurance schemes to drive a change in culture and the consistent application of best practice. Industry could also incentivise producers to reduce flock colonisation by rewarding those who have no, or low, levels of campylobacter infection pre-slaughter.

Slaughterhouses and processors to make sure that their processes minimise the levels of contamination

CAMPYLOBACTERfrom farm to fork

BUSINESSEAST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL’S

newsletter

SUMMER 2015 - FREE!

Welcome to the summer edition of East Northamptonshire Council’s business newsletter. There are a wide range of articles within these

pages including tips on keeping barbeques safe now the weather is warming up, tips on gas & electrical safety and details of Small Business Saturday later this year. As usual, if you want further information or assistance on anything covered please contact us:

01832 742055 healthprotection@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk

Or call into reception at Cedar Drive, Thrapston, Northamptonshire NN14 4LZ Even a good old-fashioned letter will reach us and we will get back to you!

introductionwww.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/business @ENCouncil

Designed and printed at

0093CLH10 JULY 2015

Is there a topic you would like to see covered in our business newsletter?If there is then let us know and we will try and include it in a future edition. Happy reading!

During the summer, Health Protection will be sending out a questionnaire to all childminders in our district, to establish what levels of food handling/preparation are carried out at each establishment and if we perceive there to be a food safety risk involved.

Food safety is very important for childcare because children are a vulnerable group. This means children can be more seriously affected by food poisoning and food allergy than some other groups of people. If you are starting up a childminder business in England you need to register with Ofsted.

If you are planning to start up a childminder business that provides food as part of your childminding service, in England, you do not need to register separately as a food business with your local authority. This will happen automatically when you register with Ofsted. This only applies for registrations made on or after 1 January 2014, and is part of the government’s commitment to reduce the burden on business.

If your childminder business does need an inspection, a food safety officer will contact you to arrange a suitable time to visit. The officer will talk about food hygiene and food safety to help make sure the food you give to any children is prepared, stored and handled safely.

If you are carrying out higher risk food activities as part of your childminder service, we may well visit to do a food hygiene inspection. Higher risk activities might include:• providing a large number of meals per day as part of your normal childminding service• producing certain homemade foods such as baby food or sous-vide cooking• producing your own meals for chilled storage and reheating• certain storage activities – vacuum packing or making and then canning or jarring homemade chutneys,

flavoured oils and other products, for example.

If you want further information please contact the Health Protection team on 01832 742055.

Childminders

ENTERTAINMENT EXEMPTIONS UNDER THELICENSING ACT FROM 6 APRIL 2015Live MusicLive amplified music in on-licensed premises authorised and open for the sale of alcohol does not require a licence for audiences up to 500 (a 300 increase) from 8am until 11pm. This includes beer gardens and terraces if they are included in the licensed premises. If a beer garden is not shown on the licensed plans then it is likely to nevertheless be a workplace which benefits from a similar exemption. Live unamplified music does not need a licence anywhere and with no audience limit between 8am and 11pm.

Recorded MusicRecorded music in on-licensed premises authorised and open for the sale of alcohol does not require a licence for audiences up to 500 from 8am until 11pm. This covers DJs and discos and is a new development, as until now most recorded music above background level has been licensable under the Act. There is no equivalent "workplace" exemption. Background live and recorded music continues to be exempt.

Despite the changes, it’s wise to ensure that you are not causing annoyance with the volume of any entertainment at your premises as if there are constant complaints or issues, the licence can be called in for review.

Councils also retain their existing powers to deal with persons causing noise where it is deemed to be a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Upon conviction, businesses can face a fine of up to £20,000 for breaching any noise abatement notice served on them after the Council has carried out an investigation. If you need further information on how noise complaints are investigated, then please contact the Environmental Protection team on 01832 742263.

Temporary Event NoticesThe limit on the number of temporary events that can be held at a single premises will increase from 12 to 15 per year from 1 January 2016.

Planning Applications Planning permission is required for most building work and changes of use of land and buildings. If you write to us we will let you know if the work you propose requires planning permission. A Duty Officer is available at the front reception desk between 9am to 1pm to answer general queries. For more information:www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/developmentcontrol | planning@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk | 01832 742225

Print and design services We offer a high quality, low cost print and design service for "not for profit" organisations working in the charity and public sector. For a free, no obligation quotation or to request further details please complete the on-line form at www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/theprintroom

LicensingThe Northamptonshire Licensing Partnership is a centralised unit which processes all licences under the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005 and Environmental Health Licensing. (Taxi licences are issued by our Health Protection Team). All licensing applications forms are available online via our website. We can help you fill in forms and offer advice on licence requirements. For more information:www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/licensing | licensingunit@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk | 01832 742102

Other council services

Abandoned Vehicles (E.L.V.I.S) 08456 121 999 | Business Rates 01832 742011Health Protection - including: food hygiene, health & safety 01832 742263Licensing (liquor & entertainment) 01832 742102Licensing (taxi) 01832 742057 | Out of Hours (emergencies only) 01832 733530Payments 01832 742259 | Planning Enquires 01832 742225Waste Management - including commercial waste and fly tipping 01832 742026Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership 01604 609 393Highways (Northamptonshire County Council) 0300 126 1000

useful tel numbers: