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‘Ban burger vans’


3/ 9/2008

EXCLUSION zones could be put around schools in Tameside to stop burger vans selling fast food to children.

Under current rules, the mobile takeaways can trade on any public road apart from in the borough’s town centres.

Now licensing officers have been asked to look at banning them from areas near schools in a bid to combat childhood obesity.

Speaking at a scrutiny panel meeting, head of environmental enforcement Ian Saxon said: "The current situation is that we don’t have any prohibited streets outside the town centres.

"Anywhere else is a consent street, you can trade on those streets if you have consent from the local authority, but it would be possible for us to review that. Some local authorities have gone down the road of almost declaring an exclusion zone within so many metres around the school. One comment that we did get back when we were doing the consultation was that there were no such restrictions on static premises. You do get fish and chip shops very close to schools, often thriving on the business that they do get from schools."

The controversial ban was first suggested by Councillor Jonathan Reynolds, a governor at Longdendale Language College in Hollingworth, who raised concerns when a fast food van started trading outside the school.

He said: "It’s great to see that limiting street traders outside schools is within our powers and other councillors indicated that they wanted to see further restrictions.  I do accept the point that you can’t do anything about fixed premises but if you can’t make something perfect it shouldn’t mean you can’t try to make it better."

Councillor Ann Holland also backed plans to ban vans from areas around schools.

She said: "I suggest you go down that road regarding healthy eating for kids, it would be one way of managing it. Ban them all."


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Most recent 2 of 5 user comments

   Well you know what comes next folks ...... YOU WONT BE ABLE TO BREAK WIND IN TAMESID WITHOUT OFFERING THE COUNCIL AN APOLOGY !!!! ...(OHHHHH AND YOU'LL PROBABLY BE FINDED TOO !!!)
Dennis the Menace, Hyde
8/09/2008 at 01:11
   Lets look at this from another angle. Why are the kids needing to go to the Burger vans. Could it just be that School meals a bland, tastless, expensive and leave the kids feeling hungry long before tea time. Could it be that the kids are sick of the same supposed healthy food as suggested by Jamie Oliver. COuld it be that the limp salad over cooked vegetable are not cutting he ice anymore as kids have a choice where hey can eat. Or could it just be that the great school meal con is over. Rising price for substandard food but the kids had no choice but to eat beacuse there wasnt anywhere else to eat. Child Obestity is the arguement used by all the do gooders... but this insnt the point look at the majority of kids ... they are not obese. There ae some obese kids we all know that. But to restrict all the kids is a farce. Again The only reason for banning the vans is becasue it takes money out of the school meal system and out of the coffers of the Council.
tbag, usa
6/09/2008 at 14:49
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