A ‘FAST track’ reinspection service will be introduced in St Helens for businesses with poor food hygiene ratings.

St Helens Council will introduce charges for the reinspection of food premises, provided it is performed within three months of the previous inspection.

The council said the move will help it meet demand for such inspections and generate revenue, which will offset costs to its environmental health service.

Following a food hygiene inspection, a rating for the inspected premises is listed on the Food Standards Agency’s website.

The council said poor ratings can have “adverse impacts” on businesses, adding that the reinspection process will help businesses “respond swiftly”.

A delegated decision notice on the council’s website said: “The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme inform the public about standards of hygiene in premises they use, are often the subject of media releases and are used as a quality assurance measure by food supplying businesses such as Just Eat.

“Poor ratings can affect business and introducing a chargeable ‘fast track’ reinspection process can assist businesses respond swiftly to any adverse impacts poor hygiene inspections can cause.

“The proposal will also provide a revenue stream to help offset the costs of the council’s environmental health service.”