Food Safety - Registration and Approval

Registration and Approval of Food Premises

 

Registration

 

Who should register?

Anyone setting-up a new food business must register with the local council at least 28 days before starting.

All businesses that manufacture, store, supply, prepare or offer food for sale (whether for profit or not)  are required by law to register their business with their local council.  In practice this means pubs, staff canteens, supermarkets, takeaways, restaurants, cafes, shops, market stalls, ice cream vans, mobile food traders, luncheon clubs, childminders and even village halls. 

Registration is free and it cannot be refused.  However, it is an offence not to register your food business.  Registration of premises used for a food business allows the council to keep an up-to-date list of those premises in their area so they can visit them when they need to.  The frequency of visits will depend on the degree of risk involved.

How do I register?

You can register by simply completing the food premises registration form.  Forms are available by contacting the Food Safety Team.  Once complete you should return it to us at the address stated below.  If you use premises in more than one local council area then you must register with each council separately.

You must complete each question of the registration form and you will be asked to provide either your registered office address or your home address.  The food business operator must sign and date the form.

It is an offence to provide false information.

What happens to the information I provide?

The details from the registration form are entered onto our premises database which allows us to programme our inspections.  We are required to maintain a simple register of all those food businesses that have registered with us.  However, we do not reveal your home address in this register.   

This is a public register which states the name of the business, the address of the food business and the type of business it is. 

What should I do if things change?

Once you have registered with us you only need to notify us if the trading name of the business changes, if your food operations change or if you no longer operate the food business you had registered.  The new food business operator will then be expected to complete a registration form.

 

Approval

Generally those food businesses who manufacture meat, fish or egg products and who supply to other premises (even premises within their own ownership) as a significant part of their overall business will require formal Approval instead of registration.  There are however certain exemptions to Approval.

Approval involves making an application to the Council.  There is no charge involed for the application or Approval and generally the Approval is a one-off procedure.  The application must be supported by certain food safety processing information.  Once received an officer from the Food Safety Team will arrange to visit the premises and will want to understand the processing intended.  Approval may at this stage be granted either fully or conditionally for three (3) months. 

Where a conditional Approval is granted you will be informed in writing about the terms of the Conditional Approval.  If at the end of the three months you have complied with the terms of the Conditional Approval you can then expect a further visit, whereupon you will either be granted Full Approval, a further three (3) months Conditional Approval or you will be refused Approval.  At all stages you can expect to be kept fully informed as to the status of your Approval.  Where Approval is either refused or only conditional you also have certain rights of appeal.

Those premises who receive Full Approval will be allocated a unique identification mark (an oval mark) which should then be applied to labelling or packaging on products.  The Approval will be notified to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) who maintain a national database of all Approved premises.

If you would like an application form please contact us.

 

If you are not sure whether your food business should be registered or approved please complete our online form Food Safety

 

Sources of Advice

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

You can also complete our online form to request advice on Food Safety

 

Contact Information

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Regulatory Services

PO Box 602

Barnsley

S70 9FB

Telephone 01226 772468

Fax 01226 775699

E-mail Regulatoryservices@barnsley.gov.uk

 

 

Last modified on 15/9/2008