Published on:
15
August 2008
Fast food vans will no longer be allowed to trade outside school gates.
Clackmannanshire Council agreed at its meeting this week to adopt a new policy about the granting of street trading licences which will restrict the traders from selling within 500 metres of the Council's three secondary schools.
The new condition will not apply to existing licences, but can be applied to new licences.
Councillor George Matchett, Inclusion Portfolio Holder, said: "Healthy eating in schools in a Council priority and it can be undermined by mobile snack vans selling burgers and cans of fizzy juice at the school gates. There is quite a lot of evidence linking what children eat to their performance in school and the presence of these vans encourages pupils to leave the school premises while also creating litter and road safety concerns.
"We feel this new policy strikes a balance between allowing fast-food operators or ice-cream vans to continue to ply their trade without necessarily allowing them a prime position outside schools. We hope it will encourage our pupils to take advantage of the tasty, healthy meals available in their school dining halls every lunchtime."