A REPORT into food safety "raises huge public safety concerns", according to a councillor.

The Food Standards Agency, an independent Government department dealing with public health and consumer interests, has written the report on Greenwich Council's food law enforcement service.

Auditors looked at council arrangements for food safety and hygiene inspections of places licensed to sell food.

Councils mainly regulate food law through their environmental health and their trading standards services.

According to the report, the council did not have an up-to-date and accurate list of places which had been approved.

This meant auditors could not confirm whether appropriate procedures had been followed and if premises had been properly inspected.

Auditors said they were also unable to carry out their report properly because of incomplete and badly kept records.

The report also highlighted incomplete data and inaccuracies on the council database, including failing to rate some premises and others being repeatedly entered onto the system.

Greenwich Council opposition spokesman for modernisation Councillor Alex Wilson said: "This raises huge public safety concerns and it's all because of a lack of investment and bad management.

"The question I'd have to ask is how many people have got ill because of this maladministration? We've got no idea how many places have not been looked at."

However, a Greenwich Council spokesman said: "The council welcomes the report and has taken steps to reduce backlogs and to address the other concerns raised, which focused largely on record keeping and administration.

"The agency acknowledges higher-risk premises have been inspected promptly at all times, even during periods when there was a backlog.

"Greenwich's food premises inspection service is generally acknowledged to have a good track record, particularly for its pioneering work to publicise the results of inspections.

"It also offers regular training to premises managers and to staff who handle food."

The report was published on the Food Standards Agency website on June 20 and based on an audit carried out from November 13 to November 16 last year.