FOI request (FOIR-311955398)

Food Hygiene Reports

Requested Mon 01 March 2021
Responded  Wed 10 March 2021

The full reports from every Food Standards Agency environmental health inspection into the establishments in your district rated 2 or below from June 1 2020 to February 23 2021.

Response

Hastings Borough Council has had 3 establishments rated 2 or below within the time frame listed. The outcome of these inspections are already available on the Food Standards Agency website - please see links below:

1. Hastings Fried Chicken - https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/1294745/Hastings-Fried-Chicken-East-Sussex

2. Famous Fried Chicken - https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/1193500/Famous-Fried-Chicken-East-Sussex

3. Grove Stores - https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/168320/Grove-Stores-East-Sussex

NOTICE OF REFUSAL

Your request to receive a full report for establishments rated 2 or below falls under Section 30 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act - 'Investigations and Proceedings conducted by Public Authorities'

Information obtained for specific investigations and proceedings which relates to obtaining information from confidential sources, examples of information falling under this exemption include trading standards and environmental health prosecutions, prosecutions for failure to comply with licenses, bye-laws, enforcement measures and abatements notices (in relation to nuisances).

The exemption afforded by S30 is subject to what is known as the 'public interest test'. When applying the test in a particular case a public authority is deciding whether the public interest is better served by non-disclosure than by disclosure.

Although the Freedom of Information Act does not define 'in the public interest', there is a presumption under Freedom of Information that openness is in the public interest. In applying the public interest test a public authority will take into account the distinction that has been often made by courts between things that are in the public interest, and things that merely interest the public. Where applicants have not identified public interest considerations succinctly or accurately, the public authority has a responsibility under the Act to make their own assessment of the public interest considerations in the particular case.

We have identified the following public interest factors that may be seen as encouraging the disclosure of information:

1. General arguments in favour of promoting transparency, accountability and participation

We consider these factors to be of limited or no relevance in relation to the information in question.

Public interest factors seen as encouraging non-disclosure are, generally, the exemptions themselves. In consideration of this matter we came to the following conclusions:

1. The specific circumstances of the case and the content of the information requested in relation to those circumstances

2. The likelihood and severity of any harm or prejudice that disclosure could cause

3. The impact (beneficial or otherwise) of disclosure upon individuals and/or the wider public

In weighing the factors for and against disclosure we have concluded that the likely benefit to the applicant and the wider public of disclosure is outweighed by the likely prejudice caused by such disclosure and that therefore the public interest is better served by non-disclosure.

For the reasons given above we will not be communicating to you the information you have requested.