National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Darlington Introduction 1 April 2012
For information about the national award visit the Food Standards Agency Rating page [external link] and frequently asked questions page [external link].
Darlington Borough Council is working with the other Tees Valley Authorities to coordinate the introduction of the national on 1 April 2012 for all of the food businesses supplying food directly to consumers in the area.
Since July 2007 Darlington Borough Council in conjunction with Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, and Redcar and Cleveland Councils has been operating the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Each Council made the hygiene star rating information available to consumers on their Council websites and also the National “Scores on the Doors” website
Letters were sent to the 1005 food businesses in Darlington Borough Council area, immediately after this New Year Holiday, informing them that the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Award Scheme will be replaced by the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme on 1 April 2012 and included a leaflet to explain the basic details of the new scheme.
In preparation for this change, the Council is asking each business to check the accuracy of information that will be published on the food hygiene rating website and make the necessary corrections, or provide missing information.
Some aspects of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme are different to the Tees Valley Food Hygiene Award Scheme and the Council will provide businesses with more information before the launch on 1 April 2012.
Consumers will be able to access ratings and information about the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme at the Food Standards Agency Rating page [external link] and businesses will be encouraged to display stickers and certificates showing their rating at their premises.
How the food hygiene rating will be calculated
When food safety officers, authorised by the Council, inspect food premises they assess compliance with food hygiene legislation. Part of the assessment looks at three specific compliance areas that are directly influenced by the food business operator and using the ‘risk score’ (as seen in the table below) creates the hygiene rating.
| Compliance Area |
Scores |
| Food Hygiene and Safety |
0 |
5 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
| Structure and Cleaning |
0 |
5 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
| Confidence in Management and Control Systems |
0 |
5 |
10 |
N/A |
20 |
30 |
These scores are then used to calculate the Food Hygiene Rating.
| Total Score |
0 - 15 |
20 |
25 - 30 |
35 - 40 |
45- 50 |
>50 |
| No Score more than |
5 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
20 |
- |
| Your Rating is |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
The food hygiene rating will reflect the hygiene standards found at the time of inspection by a food safety officer employed by the Council.
