Agenda item

The Panel will note the outcomes of the public consultation on the Hot Food Takeaway SPD and proposed modifications to the document ahead of Cabinet 20 September 2022.

Contact:

Hannah Morrison, Senior Planning Officer - Planning Policy Group

The Panel considered the Hot Food Takeaway (HFT) Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPD) presented by Johanna Scrutton, Planning Policy Team Leader. Ms Scrutton was joined by Hannah Morrison, Senior Planning Officer, Lucy Wearmouth, Acting Head of Improving Population Health, Vicki Standnicki, Public Health Manager and Owen Richardson, Data and Insight Strategic Lead.

Ms Scrutton explained that the draft HFT SPD had previously been considered by the Panel, and the outcome of the public consultation and proposed modifications to the SPD were brought to the Panel for comment on before being considered at Cabinet.

Ms Scrutton shared a presentation which initially gave new members of the Panel an overview of the purpose and principles of the SPD as had previously been considered.  The presentation then gave a high-level overview of Kirklees Health facts as follows:

·       One in five (19%) adults ate fast food or takeaway meals at least once a week, and a further 64% ate fast food or takeaway meals sometimes but less than once a week.

·       Approximately one in four reception age children and one in three year six children had excess weight. Over half of all adults in Kirklees were overweight or obese.

·       Kirklees was ranked 87th most deprived area with a strong relationship between deprivation and childhood obesity. Obesity prevalence in the most deprived 10% of children was approximately twice that of the least deprived 10%.

·       There was a link between levels of deprivation and the proliferation of fast-food outlets. In Kirklees, the highest density of fast-food outlets was in the most deprived areas.

The Panel was advised that the public consultation on the draft document took place for a period of six weeks (Tuesday 9th November to Tuesday 21st December 2021). Prior to adoption of the SPD, a Statement of Consultation would be produced stating who the council consulted, a summary of main issues and how they were addressed.

Ms Scrutton informed the Panel that 25 comments from nine consultees had been received as was set out in Appendix 2 of the considered report.  A summary of the significant key issues requiring council response was set out within the report.

Ms Scrutton explained that the main objectors to some of the principles in the SPD were KFC and McDonalds and as a result, some minor changes had been made to the document. However, in most cases KFC and McDonalds were considered as restaurants under the Use Classes Order, therefore the SPD would not apply to them.  Ms Scrutton also advised that the representations made by these restaurants were of the same nature as received by other local authorities.

The Panel was informed that there were no blanket restrictions in relation to new applications, but each would be assessed with a toolkit.  In each case there would be opportunity to look at other material factors, balancing the economic support of the area with the health of the local community.

The Panel noted the presentation and the Chair invited questions from members.  The Panel welcomed the SPD and thanked officers for the work completed on it.

Panel Members were concerned about how the SPD would be enforced and whether, as in the case with other SPD’s, it could be overcome by the applicants and asked that enforcement be further considered by officers.

The Panel asked what the definition of a restaurant was in comparison to a takeaway, and Ms Scrutton explained that she would find out that information and provide it to the Panel.

Responding to a question from the Panel relating to the 400m distance requirement from primary and secondary schools, Ms Scrutton explained that the 400m was based on a five-minute walk, and that whilst further education settings were not mentioned, most of these settings were in major town centres and therefore the distance did not apply.

The Panel asked what the scale of the problem was in relation to the hot food takeaways, and Ms Scrutton advised that Kirklees had the highest number of hot food takeaways in West Yorkshire.  She explained that there was little that could be done around the number of existing takeaways but there was work to do around planning for the future and managing numbers moving forward.

The Panel commented that the SPD encouraged new applicants to consider recycling and they felt there should be more scope the SPD to make the issue of recycling more enforceable.  Ms Scrutton explained that currently they could only encourage recycling, but it was something that officers would consider further.

RESOLVED – The Panel noted the updated Hot Food Takeaway Supplementary Planning Guidance and it was agreed that:

1.    Officers consider the issue of enforcement, including recycling.

2.    The definition of a restaurant in comparison to a takeaway be provided to the Panel.