Animal health and welfare framework: 2020 to 2022

Annex C: Service Plan and guidance for completion

See supporting documents to download and complete this form.

1. The purpose of completing a Service Plan annually is:

• to provide a structured plan of the work for the local authority area during the financial year; and
• to highlight changes from previous years.

2. The template should be completed and presented to APHA by the deadline and should not be altered unnecessarily.

Specific guidance on completing the Service Plan

3. You should record the standard which you propose meeting during the year, as described in columns 3, 4 and 5 of the Activity Framework (Section 5) and complete each box in the column headed "Local authority planned level of service delivery" as follows:

a) Standard to be met.

b) How the standard will be achieved.

c) Numbers and target percentage where applicable.

4. If no activity is planned in an area (for example, in Section 5.2, if you do not have a slaughterhouse in your area) please insert not applicable.

5. It is appreciated that the information supplied may need to be reviewed and updated during the year, as circumstances change.

6. Most importantly, the Service Plan should be discussed and agreed with your VL and respective local authority committees, if appropriate (so that understanding is reached regarding what can be realistically achieved, what local factors need to be taken into account and, above all, how the Plan helps to manage the risk of animal disease incursion, control spread and maintain and improve standards of animal welfare). Local authorities may after discussion with their VL agree not to meet certain minimum standards/priority activities.