Inner Sydney Councils Regional Food Group

Strathfield Council in conjunction with Ashfield, Burwood, Canterbury, City of Canada Bay, City of Sydney, Leichhardt and Marrickville have formed a business partnership with the NSW Food Authority to increase consistency among Councils in relation to regulation of and service provision in relation to food safety.

Fact sheets have been developed to assist food businesses in critical areas of food safety, which are available below.

What is the Food Regulation Partnership?

Strathfield Council has recently entered into an agreement with the NSW Food Authority as a Category B Council.

Roles of Category B Councils include:

• Food premises approvals (through the development application process) including imposing of conditions to ensure premises comply with the relevant standards.
• Emergency response to food safety emergencies.
• Urgent food recalls.
• Premises inspection of retail food businesses (excludes wholesalers and manufacturers which may be taken on at a later date, and premises licensed by the NSW Food Authority) to ensure compliance with the Food Act and Food Safety Standards 3.2.2 and 3.2.3.
• Investigation of food complaints pertaining to the retail and food service sector (including single cases of foodborne illness).
• Take appropriate enforcement action for premises inspected and complaints investigated (includes serving notices and orders, issuing penalty infringement notices, and taking court action as appropriate).
• Report to the NSW Food Authority on food regulation activities every twelve months.
• Participate in food sampling programs (local or state-based).
• Provide advice to food businesses on food safety issues.

Roles of the Food Authority include:

• Investigation of food borne illness where more than one case exists.
• Investigation of complaints of wholesalers, manufacturers and premises licensed by NSW Food Authority.
• Inspection of premises licensed by NSW Food Authority.
• Supporting Councils in their role

Visit the NSW Food Authority for further information on the Food Regulation Partnership.