Food retailers and catering businesses in the District are set to benefit from extra support to ensure they comply with new hygiene laws introduced earlier this year.

Sevenoaks District Council, together with eleven other District Council's in Kent, has recently been awarded a £330,000 grant after a successful application to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The funding will help the Council work with local businesses, using innovative and simple guidance, to improve hygiene standards following new EU regulations that came into effect in January 2006.

In the coming months the Council’s Food Safety team will be holding seminars and working on a one-to-one basis with local businesses to ensure their food safety standards meet the terms of the new EU regulations.

Cllr Keith Loney, Sevenoaks District Council Cabinet member with responsibility for Environmental Health, says: “The new hygiene regulations affect all food and catering businesses in the District, and some may be a little unsure of exactly what is required of them. This grant will make it a lot easier for us, and our partners across Kent to work with local businesses and help them achieve the EU standards.”

The bid was made by Sevenoaks District Council on behalf of Kents' District Councils: Ashford, Dartford, Gravesham, Maidstone, Swale, Tonbridge & Malling, and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s, Dover, Shepway and Thanet District Council’s and Canterbury City Council.

An external appraisal panel, consisting of representatives from the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services, the British Hospitality Association, Kings College and the University of London, considered the grant application in August.

The Council found out it had been awarded the grant at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Conference held in Bournemouth on 6 September.

For further information please contact the Council's Food Safety Team on 01732 227000 or e-mail food.safety@sevenoaks.gov.uk