Residents across Cardiff are benefiting from higher food hygiene standards, cleaner air and more empty homes being brought back into use, according to the latest annual report from Shared Regulatory Services.
The report highlights a year of positive performance in protecting residents, businesses and communities across the city, despite ongoing pressures on resources and increasing demand for services. It also showcases significant enforcement action taken to tackle illegal activities and support legitimate businesses.
The improvements relate to food hygiene standards in restaurants and takeaways, bringing empty homes back into use, tackling organised crime with our partners and improving air quality across the city.
Food hygiene standards in Cardiff continued to improve, with 96.65% of food businesses now rated as broadly compliant with food hygiene requirements, up from 95.8% the previous year and above the UK average of 95%.
The service also exceeded its target for bringing empty properties back into use. During 2025/26, 162 empty homes were returned to use, including 151 properties that had been empty for more than a year. This work helps increase housing supply, reduce blight in local communities and support efforts to address housing demand across the city.
Cardiff’s air quality also continued to improve. Across the city’s 99 monitoring sites, no locations exceeded the legal annual limit for nitrogen dioxide levels. Since 2019, nitrogen dioxide concentrations have fallen by 36%, with monitoring showing continued compliance across Cardiff’s Air Quality Management Areas.
The SRS also took necessary enforcement action against shops selling illegal tobacco and vapes. During a national operation targeting organised criminal activity, officers carried out inspections that resulted in enforcement action and the seizure of thousands of illegal products. During 2025/26, illegal goods worth more than £445,000 were seized from wards across the city.
The report also highlights the role officers played in supporting major events across Cardiff. This included providing advice and monitoring at events held at Cardiff Castle and the new outdoor venue at Blackweir Fields, which welcomed more than 100,000 visitors during the summer. Officers worked closely with event organisers to manage noise and minimise disruption for nearby residents.
The SRS pursued several legal cases through the courts, including successful prosecutions involving serious food safety offences, a rogue trader who defrauded residents, and an animal welfare case that resulted in the offender receiving a lifetime ban on keeping dogs.
The report also outlines how the service will continue to focus on protecting public health, supporting businesses, tackling illegal activity and responding to new regulatory responsibilities during 2026/27.
Councillor Ed Stubbs, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Frontline Services, said:
“This report highlights the positive impact the service is having across the city, from improving food hygiene standards and air quality to bringing empty homes back into use and supporting major events.
“It also demonstrates the importance of strong enforcement action when residents, consumers or businesses are put at risk, especially in relation to tackling the issue of shops selling illegal tobacco and vapes. These shops are a front for organised crime, and we will continue to work with our partners to disrupt their illegal business and make it as difficult as possible for them to trade.
“I would like to thank staff for their continued commitment and professionalism in delivering these important services.”
Cardiff Council’s Cabinet will meet on 15 October, when councillors will be presented with the findings of the 2025/26 report. A webcast of the meeting will be available to watch on the day.
