Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of a proposal to develop a planning guidance note which would place a restriction on the hours of operation of hot food takeaways within 400m of schools and introduce other measures to control numbers and location. Following consultation, the intention would be to implement a final guidance note that could form a material consideration in the determination of planning applications for hot food takeaways.

The report referred to the Task Group of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee which had recommended that the Council investigate the possibility of developing a Supplementary Planning Document restricting fast food outlets from operating near schools, parks and leisure centres or in areas that were already highly concentrated with fast food outlets. This was agreed by Cabinet on 28 September 2010. This matter was also identified as a priority action for 2013/14 in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Medway 2012-2017, in promoting healthy eating. In addition, the National Planning Policy Framework (2012) had made explicit the role planning should play in creating healthier environments.

The Health and Wellbeing Board considered the issue on 9 January 2014 and their comments were set out in paragraph 4 of the report. It was also noted that the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee would consider the report on 19 March 2014.

A Diversity Impact Assessment screening exercise had been undertaken as set out in Appendix B to the report. This had highlighted that implementation of the guidance note may have a differential impact upon Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups as there was the potential that hot food takeaways may have a higher representation of businesses from this group.

Reasons:

Implementation of the guidance note is likely to help reduce the levels of childhood obesity in Medway in combination with other initiatives introduced by the Public Health Directorate.