Environmental health

The environmental health section has two parts - the environmental protection team and the commercial team. 

Air pollution

• Monitor air quality around the town. An Air Quality Status Report is produced each year for the government. 
• Enforce smoke control areas. 
• Hand out permits and regulate emissions to air from some premises. 
• Investigate complaints such as smoke from open burning and bad smells. 

Contaminated land

• The council has a database showing all sites in the borough where there has been an industrial use that might contaminate the land.
• The team make sure development sites are suitable as part of the planning process.
• Provide advice to developers, landowners and consultants.
• Environmental searches.

Environmental advice

• Providing advice to the public.
• Respond to consultations from other parts of the council such as licensing and planning, and outside bodies such as the Environmental Agency.

Food safety

• Inspection of all food premises to make sure they follow food hygiene rules and run the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
• Ensuring businesses provide accurate information about food allergens to customers.
• Providing advice to businesses. 
• Investigating complaints about food and food premises.
• Conducting food sampling surveys and responding to alerts issued by the Food Standards Agency. 
• Investigate cases of suspected or confirmed food poisoning. 

Health and safety at work

• Inspection of commercial premises for compliance with workplace safety. 
• Investigation of accidents and complaints about workplace conditions.
• Providing information and advice for businesses. 

Noise

• Investigation of complaints, advice and monitoring.

Nuisance

• The investigation and enforcement of nuisance laws under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
• To be a legal nuisance there needs to be evidence of something being a nuisance or prejudicial to health (or likely to be).
• There is no set definition of the term "nuisance" but it is something that causes serious interference in the use and enjoyment of a person's property. It is more than just an annoyance or something that is present.
• The specific sensitivities of the person affected cannot be taken into account in deciding whether a matter is a statutory nuisance. 

Examples of a legal nuisance:

• The state of a building
• Smoke/fumes and gases coming from a building
• Smell/dust/steam from industrial, trade or business premises 
• Large amounts of waste building up. For example, large amounts of rubbish with food waste inside.
• Animals kept in a building.
• Insects from any industrial, trade or business premises 
• Artificial light from premises 
• Noise coming from a building or caused by a vehicle, machinery or equipment in a street  

Pest control

• Pest control treatments and investigation of complaints.