Contribution by Charles Martell

Comment by: Charles Martell

Focus area: Food manufacturing (small businesses)

Regulator concerned: My comments are general and do not relate to a particular regulator or regulatory function

Comment:
40 years on farm food manufacturer.
Most government agencies who come here I have found good and I can work well with them. In particular the many EHOs we have had over the years have, without exception, been very positive, helpful and supportive.
The Environment Agency; we have had one unsavoury, aggressive and incompetent member of staff. Otherwise they are fine, except for the fact that they are institutionally extremely bureaucratic.
Fire Officer and Planning enforcement officer we have also had ‘turning up’. That’s the problem. Some agencies just turn up and expect you to drop everything to attend to their needs. When you have 4 staff that’s 25% of the workforce. I wonder if they would tie up 25% of ICI’s workforce on a whim. After a visit from a fire officer my member of staff dealing with it was hospitalised for 10 days with a heart attack. Proper appointments only please.