Under new food hygiene legislation from January 2006, all caterers and retail food businesses need to have a written food safety management system.
Go to Related Pages for free Safer Food, Better Business Packs to help businesses meet this requirement. The council's Environmental Health service gives free help and advice to local businesses.
Free Seminars are a Success
During 2006-07 Environmental Health offered free seminars and coaching sessions to help small catering businesses in Eastbourne cope with new food hygiene regulations.
Eastbourne food safety staff worked in partnership with Lewes and Wealden councils, SOMPRITI - the Black and Minority Ethnic support agency - and consultants from CMi on the Safer Sussex Food Project.
The Project got off to a good start with 92 local businesses attending three seminar sessions in January 2006 at Eastbourne Town Hall.
These were followed by free one-to-one coaching at the business sites with the staff of CMi International. The purpose of these sessions were to answer any individual queries, and to personalise Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) packs for each business.
Positive Feedback
Feedback received from businesses was excellent:
"The business pack cuts down on time and paperwork. It is very useful for training new staff."
"This proactive approach has been so refreshing and so welcome."
"Thank you for providing the seminar and the bonus follow up coaching. I really appreciate your efforts to secure funding to deliver this material free of charge. It is so rare that small businesses are invited to receive help with legislative matters."
