Byron Shire Council’s Environmental Health team has taken out one of the top gongs at the 2019 NSW Food Surveillance Champion Awards, in recognition for the outstanding work of staff when it comes to food safety.
The team won the regional award for outstanding performance and achievement in food safety with regard to its work in festivals and markets.
The Byron Shire hosts the largest number of festivals outside the Sydney area. There are between 90-100 festivals or events a year with new ones continually emerging.
Shannon Burt, Director Sustainable Environment and Economy, said it’s terrific that Council’s Environmental Health team has been recognised and rewarded for its hard work.
“The team not only has to check all restaurants and cafes in the Byron Shire, but staff also need to inspect food stalls at markets and festivals which is an enormous job”.
“They inspect 800 food businesses a year to make sure what people eat and drink is safe and not going to cause illness and their involvement with each event contributes to its overall success which is great for stall holders, organisers and the festival and market patrons” Ms Burt said.
“Most people may not realise the enormous amount of work this generates for the Environmental Health team which manages food safety and public health to help prevent outbreaks and the spread of food-borne illness.
“A wonderful thing about this award was that the nomination of our Environmental Health team came from our peers at neighbouring Councils and, on behalf of the team and all staff at Byron Shire Council, I would like to particularly thank Ballina Shire Council for facilitating the nomination,” she said.
“The acknowledgment of the hard work and the processes and procedures implemented by Byron Shire is helping other Councils working in this area.
“One of the strengths of our relationship with the Councils in the Northern Rivers is that we regularly collaborate on projects and share information which benefits not only staff, but residents as well,” Ms Burt said.
