Agency Relationship Team
The Agency Relationship Team (ART) has been established to build strong relationships with FFG Executive Agencies, and to manage the Service Level Agreements with them. Together with Animal Health, we have responsibility for liaising with Local Authorities in England within a Framework Agreement (under revision) as well as managing an additional funding budget.
Our Delivery Partners
Animal Health
Animal Health (previously known as the State Veterinary Service) was established as an Executive Agency of Defra on 1 April 2005. ART works closely with Animal Health, The Animal Health Customer Board is a forum for discussion and agreement of delivery priorities and the requirements of policy customers; for discussion of the Agency’s delivery performance and related resource, capacity and capability issues in support of the Corporate Owner; for an overview of delivery input to policy; and for consideration of how the Agency should respond to cross-cutting corporate issues and challenges.
Animal Health engages with our programmes/projects/policies to ensure effective delivery input to policy making.
Animal Health website.
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) provides a wide range of applied research and consultancy on livestock diseases and surveillance of new and emerging diseases to government and the animal health industry. It is also a centre of excellence in veterinary research, being an international Reference Laboratory for many farm animal diseases such as avian influenza, TSEs and brucellosis.
Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) aims to protect public health, animal health and the environment, and to promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Local Authorities – Framework Agreement
ART is responsible for oversight of the Framework Agreement (PDF 228 KB) on the structured delivery of services in Animal Health and Welfare in partnership between Defra, Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and Local Authorities (LAs) through Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS). As part of the Framework Agreement, the team continue to manage the web based secure enforcement database - the Animal Health & Welfare Management & Enforcement System (AMES). This database is accessible to all those involved in the Framework Agreement, including Defra HQ, Animal Health, LACORS and individual LAs across England and Wales.
Animal Health and Welfare Framework (PDF 46 KB)
For more information on LACORS, please visit Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services.
Data held under AMES is covered by the Data Protection Act 1998: Data Protection Act - Fair Processing Notice (PDF 74 KB)
We also publish the Annual Report to Parliament on prosecutions brought under the Animal Health Act.: Annual Report to Parliament on Prosecutions.
ART is also responsible for monitoring the Government’s response to David Eves’ Review of the Animal Health & Welfare Delivery Landscape: Animal Health and Welfare Delivery Landscape Review.
The Rogers Review set out national priorities for local authority regulatory services to assist them in prioritising their resources. Animal health activities were identified as a time-limited national priority. ART are working closely with Animal Health and local authorities to develop a national indicator for LAs work in the animal health field.
Rogers Review of Local Authority Regulatory Priorities
Meat Hygiene Service
We also work closely with the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), an executive agency of the Food Standards Agency. MHS is responsible for the protection of public health and animal health and welfare in Great Britain, through proportionate enforcement of legislation in approved fresh meat premises. MHS provides verification, audit, and meat inspection services in approved slaughterhouses, cutting plants, farmed and wild game facilities, and co-located minced meat and meat products premises. The MHS has a statutory duty to provide these services on demand, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
Page last modified:
11 February, 2009