BASINGTOKE and Deane is the UK’s second best area for food hygiene, consumer watchdog Which? has said.

Which? looked at areas including the number of high and medium-risk food businesses which kept to hygiene standards and the number of interventions carried out by local authorities.

In the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area there were 96 per cent of medium and high-risk premises meeting food compliance standards and 99 per cent of food businesses inspected and rated for risk.

This was just one per cent less in the medium and high-risk premises than Erewash Borough Council, in Derbyshire, which took the top spot.

Overall, data from 390 local authorities for the year 2016-17 was used, including information from the Local Authority Monitoring System collected by the Food Standards Agency.

Responsibility for enforcing food safety falls to environmental health teams within local authorities, overseen by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland.

Borough council cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment Councillor Hayley Eachus said: “I’m delighted but not surprised that we were rated so highly. Our team works incredibly hard to build relationships with local businesses and to ensure standards of food hygiene are high.

“Where we have any non-compliant businesses we work with them and offer help and support for them to improve.

“These statistics are not only a real credit to our environmental health officers at the council but also to those businesses in the borough who prepare and sell food.

“It sends a strong message that Basingstoke and Deane is a great and safe place to eat out. Don’t forget you can check out the food hygiene rating of your favourite pub or restaurant at http://ratings.food.gov.uk”

Speaking generally about standards, Alex Neill, managing director of home products and services at Which?, said: “When it comes to food, British consumers expect the very best standards for themselves and their families.

“But our enforcement regime is under huge strain, just as Brexit threatens to add to the responsibilities of struggling local authorities.”

“Effective food enforcement must be a government priority, including robust checks on imports as well as co-operation with the EU and other countries on food risks”.