26 October 2005: Safer Sussex Food partnership to deliver help to local chefs

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Lewes District Council is to be part of a major food hygiene project, called ‘Safer Sussex Food’. The project will be undertaken in partnership with Wealden District Council, Eastbourne Borough Council and Sompriti, the Lewes based support agency for Black and ethnic minority groups.

The Food Standards Agency has awarded the three Councils’ food safety teams a £236,000 grant to help local catering businesses cope with new regulations.

From January 2006 all food businesses will need to have written food safety management systems. The ‘Safer Sussex Food’ project will help them comply with the new laws by providing information, training and individual coaching.

Sompriti will offer specialist help for Indian, Chinese, Turkish and other restaurants and businesses in the locality.

Councillor Sarah Osborne, Lewes District Council Lead Member for the Environment, said: “We are very pleased that our joint bid for a grant to help businesses deliver even safer food was successful. Working together with Sompriti and with Eastbourne and Wealden Councils we are able to pool our resources, expertise and knowledge to deliver real benefits to our communities.”

All food businesses will receive a support package called ‘Safer food, better business’ direct. For any further queries they should contact Tim Albright, Lewes District Council Principal Environmental Health Officer on 01273 484348 or email tim.albright@lewes.gov.uk

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Notes for editors:

Seminars and coaching will be carried out by CMI, a consultancy approved by the Food Standards Agency for this work. Local food safety staff will support the sessions. The project is expected to run from Autumn 2005 to June 2007.

Media enquiries to Liz Lacon, Public Consultation and Press Officer