Environmental Health Services
General Enforcement Policy
The Environmental Health team wants to make sure that, when it enforces the law it is doing its job fairly, and in a helpful and responsive manner.
What you can expect from our Enforcement Officers
· A courteous manner.
· To be shown all relevant information.
· A clear distinction between what the officer is recommending as good practice and what you must do to comply with the law.
· Confirm in writing the reason for any actions you are asked to take.
· A statement of what the law is, where there is an apparent breach.
· Reasonable time to meet statutory requirements.
· To be advised of the procedures for appealing against our actions.
What we expect from you in return
- To recognise that you have a duty to comply with the law.
- To work with officers to resolve problems.
- To talk to us about any concerns you have or if you are unsure about your obligations.
- Not to be obstructive.
Enforcement options available
Depending on the legislation involved, there are a number of enforcement options available to officers. These include:
- Informal advice
- Informal Enforcement Notice (eg. Letter)
- ‘Minded to’ Notice (advance warning of the Council’s intended action)
- Enforcement Notice
- Formal Caution
- Prosecution
- Injunction
Factors which affect the choice of enforcement options
- The seriousness of the alleged offence (eg. Did an injury result?)
- Whether there have been incidents in the past.
- The willingness of those involved to prevent a recurrence of the problem.
- Whether a reasonable explanation for the offence has been offered.
- Whether there is satisfactory evidence of an offence.
Officers will explain and discuss the available options with you before any action is taken and your views will be taken into account.