Scores on Doors

One of our primary tasks as a Council is to protect our residents when they buy and consume food from the many local outlets.  We aim to ensure that our residents have confidence that when they buy food from local outlets it’s safe to consume.  To improve food safety we’re going to participate in a trial with theNSW Food Authority called “Scores on Doors”. The scheme is aimed at food service businesses that process and sell food that is ready-to-eat, intended for immediate consumption and which needs to be handled in the safest possible manner. And the businesses to be involved within our City include: restaurants, take-aways, hotels, clubs, cafes and bakeries. 

The scheme requires participating businesses to display a certificate with a star rating – between three and five.  Three stars mean a ‘good level’ of food safety compliance and five indicates an ‘excellent level’. The certificates are emblazoned with “Good” for three stars, “Very Good” for four and “Excellent” for five. The scores are assigned after an unannounced routine inspection by Council’s Environmental Health Officers.  With the rating determined Council issues a certificate which can be placed in a highly visible location where customers can see it with a glance. Such a scheme gives greater confidence for everyone to buy and eat food from the outlets and gives food businesses an incentive to improve.