MISSION STATEMENT
To enable Local Authorities to provide key information to consumers in an easily accessible manner, providing cost neutral service of the highest quality, and to enable that data to be supplemented by additional valuable information by members of the business community.
OVERVIEW
Food Scores is a private Company based in Lancashire. The Company has been incorporated with the express intention of creating a user friendly, easily accessible supply of information to consumers, pertaining in the first instance to data compiled within Environmental Health inspections of Food Premises.
Under limited guidelines, Food Scores enables Local Authorities to enjoy increased exposure for localised food hygiene scoring schemes, within a website which provides National coverage and the consequent publicity.
Working closely with Councils, Food Scores ensure an easy export of data already entered into Council systems onto the FoodScores website, within which consumers can then use an easy system to query the rating of a specific outlet, or simply reference for food outlets in a given area, and uncover not only the relevant outlets and locations, but also the hygiene rating attributed to the premises by the relevant Environmental Health professional.
BENEFITS FOR COUNCILS
It is all to easy to simply state that the benefit of this service to Local Authorities lies in the fact that this service requires no financial outlay on the part of Local Authorities. However, there are a number of other key benefits.
First, the website, and its functionality, has been designed by marketers, using feedback supplied by one of the main customer groups of each Council; consumers. It has also been developed whilst listening to the needs and desires of another key customer group; local business. And thirdly, this site has been designed, and enjoys ongoing development in partnership with participating Local Authorities.
Many Councils have begun to publish results of their hygiene inspections within their own website. Whilst the team at Food Scores actively encourage Councils (both Clients of Food Scores and also those Councils who are yet to join this site) to publish the information on their own websites, there are a couple of clear reasons why this data can benefit from also appearing on foodscores.co.uk
Of over 200 consumers surveyed, NOT ONE could state with certainty whether the inspections of food premises was a responsibility of Local, or County Councils. Consequently, many residents are unsure of where to look to find this information
Invariably, where Councils have published this data within their own websites, other local news and political issues have meant that after an initial launch, the area of the site holding the data suffers from increasingly less exposure and marketing, due to other priorities in local government.
Local Authority boundaries are not clearly defined; indeed, many Councils exist "in name only" - in so far as the Council name often bears little or no relation to the towns and villages they govern; tourists planning a visit to the area therefore often have difficulty in identifying the Council for the locality they are visiting.
Food Scores offers a solution. As with the majority of professionals currently considering long term solutions to the concept of publishing this information, Food Score Ltd advocates the aspiration towards a single, UK wide scoring scheme. Whilst this may take some time to achieve, Food Scores also supports the concept of a UK Wide publication system, allowing consumers to become familiar with a central resource for gathering this important, and valuable information.
We strongly believe that through a combination of offering high quality service to each of consumers, food premises, and Local Authorities, foodscores.co.uk offers a compelling proposition, and solution, to the challenge of communicating this information to the general public/
FURTHER INFORMATION
We are always pleased to talk with Local Authorities, to hear your requirements, and to work to provide a solution which supports the principles of the Council. To talk to us, please contact our Managing Director, Michael Dougherty directly, on 01772 334719, or email michael@foodscores.co.uk.
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