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Seven Walsall food premises closed due to 'risk to public health' concerns after 1,000 checked by hygiene officers

Around 1,000 food premises have been inspected in Walsall over the last 12 months to ensure they meet hygiene standards.

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Seven were closed by environmental health officers amid concerns over an immediate risk to public health while one was shut voluntarily, Walsall Council has said.

The checks which were carried out between October 27, 2013 and October 27, 2014, and council chiefs say over 80 per cent were deemed satisfactory or better on the national food hygiene rating system.

It comes as a spate of businesses were temporarily closed by the council during October. There were four which were forced to shut with issues ranging from mouse infestation, rat droppings and flies.

Council bosses have insisted they will not tolerate sub-standard conditions. Shops, restaurants or takeaways which are served with hygiene prohibition orders are able to re-open again once the council is satisfied there are no longer health risks.

Of those which closed during the last 12 months, only one did not re-open by their own accord.

David Elrington, area manager for environmental health, said: "Premises that have been closed are not legally able to reopen without the environmental health officers consent and we wouldn't allow the premises to re-open unless the circumstances that led to the closure had been rectified to our satisfaction.

"Of the premises closed during the above period to our knowledge only one owner has taken the decision not to reopen following the closure."

It comes after it recently emerged hundreds of residents and businesses in Walsall have been ordered to clean up waste, amid concerns it could attract rats and mice.

Environmental health officers issued 455 enforcement notices over the last four years ordering landowners to clear away accumulations of rubbish.

Council chiefs say the majority of issues since April 2010 have been around residential properties rather than commercial.

They insist the issuing of statutory notices is only taken when necessary due to the state or lack of co-operation.

Figures have also shown that an average of 100 extra cases of fly-tipping each month were recorded in Walsall during the last year, although the number of cases of littering fell.

In 2012/13 there was an average of 172 fly tipping incidents per month which increased to 282 during the last year.

However, during the same time period the average amount of cases of litter in a month dropped from 111 to 88.

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