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| | Page Last Updated:
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 |
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Home>Services and Facilities>Public Health Services>Food Safety
Registration of Food Premises
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| All businesses which sell food, including pre-packaged foods, are required to meet standards to enable the premises to be registered by the Food Act. Unless specifically exempted by Council, all food premises must have a Food Act Registration – this includes “temporary” food premises/food stalls.
Registration of food premises occurs annually. To register/obtain approval to operate, Council must satisfy itself that the legislated standards have been met in relation to:
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 | Food Safety Plan development | | A Food Safety Supervisor is available to the premises | | The premises complies structurally with the standards | | The cleanliness and maintenance of the premises is adequate
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| Temporary food stall approvals will normally be granted for specific events but can be sought for the calendar year.
Food Safety Plans for all Premises must be completed and assessed as adequate before the premises may operate and be registered.
Food Safety Supervisor is a title given to the person of the premises who has prime responsibility for the day-to-day management of the food handling procedures.
The Council Pamphlet “Update for Operators Brochure” gives further detail on Food Safety Plans and the Food Safety Supervisor.
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| Temporary Food Premises | | Council has exempted temporary food premises/food stalls from the requirement to be registered – subject to obtaining an Approval to Operate, as issued by Council’s Environmental Health Officer. Only 3 styles of operation will be able to obtain an approval:
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| Charitable and community organisations | | Operations based at and operating through registered food premises | | Operations fully contained on site, not requiring prior storage, preparation or manufacture at premises other than food premises.
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| Food Vehicles | | For the purpose of the Food Act a food vehicle is a food premises. Food Vehicles require a single registration within Victoria and it is not necessary to obtain a Food Act registration from each municipality where the vehicle operates. The registration needs to be obtained from the Council where the vehicle mainly operates or where it is normally garaged.
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| New Food Premises | | Once construction/renovation of the premises has been completed in accordance with the health office approved plans, an inspection by Council’s Environmental Health Officer will be conducted. Any areas that require additional work or finishing will be noted and a copy of this provided in a letter.
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| Registration of Premises | | Once works are complete and the Food Safety Plan has been deemed adequate, the premises may be registered in accordance with the Food Act 1984. Council will provide an appropriate registration form. The form must be completed and returned with the appropriate fee to Council’s Environmental Health Officer.
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| Fees | | Council’s food premises registration fees are set by Council annually and are based on the Environmental Health Officer's risk classification of the business:
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| Class |
Fee |
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| Class A (i.e. hospital) |
$220 |
| Class B (i.e. take away) |
$325 |
| Class C (i.e. restaurant) |
$235 |
| Class D (i.e. all pre-packed) |
$120 |
| Class E (i.e. community group) |
$60 |
| Temporary Food Premises |
$40
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| Failure to register a food premises may result in a fine of up to $5000.
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| Transferring Food Premises Registration | | To legally operate the business, the registration of the Food Premises must be transferred from the name of the existing licensee to the name of the proposed purchaser. Before you purchase a food business you should:
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| Check with Council’s Environmental Health Officer to determine registration requirements. | | Forward a 'Request Information Form' signed by the current proprietor to Council. | | Request a 'transfer inspection' of the property to ensure the premises complies with the requirements of the Food Act. This request should be in writing from your solicitor and will need to be accompanied by a consent form signed by the existing proprietors to allow this confidential information to be disclosed. | | Request and lodge the transfer form and appropriate fee (50% of registration fee up to a maximum of $150).
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