Jobs will be created in the South West as part of a £14million government investment aimed at maintaining the UK’s high standards on imported animal products.

A total of 21 local authorities across England, including three in the South West, have been awarded funding by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (£105,991), Bristol City Council (£92,237) and Plymouth City Council (£58,924) are among those to benefit from the Port Health Transition Fund.

Over 500 new jobs will be created across the country to facilitate the new checks on imports of animal products from the EU from April 2021.

The funding will be spent on recruiting staff, equipment and new systems.

Farming, Fisheries and Food Minister Victoria Prentis said: “We are rightly proud of our high standards of animal and plant goods and we are determined to maintain them, while ensuring that operations at our ports continue to run smoothly.

“This funding will allow local authorities to play their part in maintaining standards and efficiency at our borders, while also providing investment in new jobs and infrastructure.”

The new checks will be introduced in a phased way, with documentary checks on animal products for human consumption starting from April 2021, followed by additional identity and physical checks at Border Control Posts from July 2021.

Together with other checks on live animals, plants and plant products carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), the new port checks will safeguard public, animal and plant health.