Environmental Health

The aim of the Environmental Health service is to protect and improve the health and well being of the public. The service is split into a number of specialist areas.

Ensures that all food produced, stored, distributed, handled or consumed in the district is safe, wholesome and without risk to the consumer, and that infectious diseases are recorded and reported and that appropriate control measures are implemented.

There are 1582 food premises in East Devon and each year the team:

• Carries out about 900 food safety inspections
• Investigates over 100 cases of infectious diseases
• Receives about 150 complaints about food and food premises
• Conducts a food sampling programme and responds to food hazard alerts in accordance with Food Standards Agency requirements

The aim is to actively promote and strive to maintain good standards of health and safety for people at work and for members of the public who visit those workplaces in the district.

• The service has enforcement responsibility for more than 3000 known businesses. Of these, about 500 are inspected each year
• Approximately 150 accidents and dangerous occurrences are reported each year
• About 80 other complaints relating to health and safety issues area investigated
• The service is also responsible for advising on health and safety management of the Council's own services

This is to monitor and, where necessary, improve air quality in the district, reduce noise problems and other statutory nuisances and to identify and ensure appropriate remediation of contaminated land.

• Air quality is continuously monitored across the district
• Approximately 800 complaints of noise are investigated each year (including those arising during the night or at weekends)
• 72 businesses are licensed to enable specific controls to be imposed to reduce polluting emissions
• Potentially contaminated land is identified and if necessary, remedial action taken

The aim is to:

• Promote and enable independent living and supported housing schemes for those with special/support needs
• Improve the condition of private sector housing
• Increase the availability of affordable housing within the private sector stock
• Improve the energy efficiency of housing in the district and eliminate fuel poverty within the housing sector
• On average 162 housing repair and disabled facility grants are processed each year
• There are 285 homes in multiple occupation (3 storey and above) that are known about in the district;  approximately 90 are surveyed each year to improve general living conditions and fire precautions

For more detailed information go the main Environmental Health page

Page last updated on 22 January 2008