External Catering Providers Attending South Yorkshire Police Premises

Policy Scope:

All South Yorkshire Police Personnel

Policy Aims and Objectives:

To establish a policy that manages the potential risk associated with District/Departmental personnel utilising external catering suppliers to provide hot/cold food, confectionery, drinks, sandwiches in vending machines etc in South Yorkshire Police premises. Such policy will ensure that all South Yorkshire Police personnel are protected, so far as is reasonably practicable, under food hygiene and applicable Health and Safety legislation. (This includes catering or 'sandwich vans' that trade on South Yorkshire Police premises (including car parks) with or without official authorisation.)

Associated Procedural Instructions:

This policy is supported by the following procedural instructions:

The criteria for risk reduction and ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all staff that have food on South Yorkshire Police premises which has been externally supplied via the Force is as follows:

  • The in-house catering service (FM CATERING) will be responsible for approving all external catering suppliers.

  • No unauthorised suppliers will be allowed access into South Yorkshire Police premises.

  • When a catering supplier other than the in-house FM CATERING is utilised by a District/Department, evidence to support the supplier's authenticity must be obtained.

  • Specific evidence to be obtained will include a copy of the supplier's:

(a) third party liability insurance certificate
(b) employers liability insurance certificate
(c) relevant food hygiene qualification/certificate
(d) relevant environmental health feedback report (where applicable).

  • District/Departmental Administration Managers will be responsible for collating the evidence as outlined above which should then be forwarded to the in-house FM CATERING (see form attached at Appendix A).

  • The in-house FM CATERING will be responsible for controlling the suppliers approved list.

  • District/Departmental Admininstation Managers will be responsible for complaint investigation, details of which should then be forwarded to the in-house FM CATERING (see form attached at Appendix B).

  • The in-house FM CATERING will be responsible for conducting random audits/inspections of all suppliers at regular intervals (see form attached at Appendix C).

  • Supply Chain Management will raise and establish the contract and retain all documents held for this purpose.

Equality Act 2010

The Act creates a statutory requirement for all Functions and Policies (Including Procedural Instructions) to be analysed for their effect on equality, diversity and human rights, with due regard to the General Duty.

In principle, this document has been assessed for discrimination, which cannot be justified, among other diverse groups.

Human Rights/Discretion

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action. However, it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify a departure from the stated policy. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual's Human Rights, the reasons behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practicable, in pocket books or policy logs.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions do not apply to this statement of agreed policy under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Management of Police Information (MoPI)

This policy falls within MoPI: No

Review Arrangements:

This policy together with its Equality Analysis will be reviewed every 3 years.

Rights of redress for members of the public:

Anyone who feels that a member of staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly, or who is dissatisfied with organisational matters, service delivery or other operational policing issues, has the right to make a complaint.

Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

  • Complain in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station or to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.

  • Visit a local Citizens' Advice Bureau

  • Contact a Solicitor

Rights of redress for South Yorkshire Police personnel:

South Yorkshire Police personnel who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may, as appropriate:

  • Pursue concerns through their line manager.

  • Contact a First Contact Advisor.

  • Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure.

  • Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.

  • Use procedural instruction D50241 Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control. 

Start Date:

17 September 2007

Equality Analysis: 
application/pdf iconD51371 External Catering Providers.pdf