That the revised fees for the financial year 2010/2011 for chargeable services provided by the Environmental Health Section as detailed below be agreed:-

·  Level 2 food hygiene courses, increase to £59 plus VAT;

·  Voluntary surrender of unsound food, increase to £70 for certificate plus £75 per hour officer time;

·  Food export certificates £116;

·  Contaminated land search fee of £60 (based on 2 hours work); and

·  Heavy metal monitoring annual fee of £1300 paid monthly, or as two six-monthly payments of £650.

The Environmental Health Section currently provides some services for which a charge is made.  These charges have not been increased for a number of years.  They are as detailed below:

·  Level 2 food hygiene courses, currently £50 plus VAT;

·  Voluntary surrender of unsound food, currently £53 for certificate and 1 hour officer time;

·  Food export certificates, currently £51;

·  Contaminated land search fees, currently £25 per hour up to a maximum of 3 hours; and

·  Fees in connection with the service provided by MBC Pollution team on behalf of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in maintaining heavy metal monitoring  equipment at the Detling Air Quality monitoring station – currently £780 as 2 payments of £390 at six-monthly intervals.

The fees currently charged have been identified as being amongst the lowest in Kent.  Whilst some of these services are only used by businesses on a very occasional basis and as such cannot been seen as a source of income, it is felt that appropriate to bring the fees more in line with other Kent authorities.  The table in Appendix 1 of the report of the Assistant Director of Environment and Regulatory Services shows fees comparisons across Kent Authorities.

The need to review contaminated land fees was also raised within a recent audit report.

The fees are in line with the charges applied by Ashford Borough Council which is considered a sensible approach in the context of the shared service arrangements.

The fees could be left at current levels.  This was not recommended as it is felt that the current fees do not accurately reflect the service costs and as the Council is providing a shared service with Ashford this would also result in a consistent set of fees across both boroughs.