Education chiefs in Fife have been accused of issuing bogus advice over what can be done to stop fast food vans setting up near schools.
St Andrews councillor Jane Ann Liston has slammed Fife Council for its apparent failure to keep up to date on civic licensing issues in relation to food vans and schools.
At present they limit the powers of local authorities to protect youngsters from eating too much of the wrong kind of food too often.
The issue has come to light after the administration and education service insisted the region’s regulation and licensing committee had the power to keep mobile fast food outlets away from the gates.
However, it has emerged a sheriff overturned several burger van ‘exclusion zones’ imposed by North Lanarkshire Council in 2015, saying health was not a material consideration for civic licensing.
Liberal Democrat, Ms Liston said: “I am amazed that Fife Council education service paid no attention to this pertinent judgement and was continuing to issue erroneous advice three years afterwards, apparently not noticing that regulation and licensing was no longer specifying distances from schools when applications were made for hot food takeaway vans.
“However, now that they do know that civic licensing cannot be used to protect the health of school pupils, it is beholden on the administration to lobby the Scottish Government for the power to do so, perhaps through another avenue.
“If they do not, then all the talk about combating obesity in young people, from both Fife Council and Holyrood administrations, does not amount to a row of beans.”
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Although the courts have confirmed the licensing route cannot be used for supporting healthy eating initiatives, the council stressed it will continue to work with the Scottish Government and schools to promote healthy eating opportunities.
Keith Breasley, hospitality services manager at Fife Council, said: “At Fife Council we’re working to do everything we can to help our young people – across primary and secondary schools – make healthy choices.
“This includes offering balanced meals and a range of healthy choices while looking at innovate ways of encouraging healthy eating inside and outside of school dining rooms.
“For example, we know that many secondary school pupils choose not to stay in school at lunchtime, so we looked at other ways to provide them with a healthy meal.
“Fife Council’s Facilities Management Service have launched new ‘Smash It’ food vans to sell healthy food and drink to pupils outwith the dining room.
“The aim is to catch pupils who feel more comfortable outside or who are walking towards the nearest unhealthy food outlet and serve them delicious, healthy food.
“The vans offer hot and cold finger food, soup, sandwiches and drinks which young people can enjoy on the go.
“We have also introduced both sit in and take away coffee bars in the majority of high schools which offer a different ambience and the opportunity to dine ‘al fresco’.
“In addition to these initiatives most schools offer a pre-order system and payment on line.”
