Toughen up takeaway rules, urges health boss

GUIDANCE SHOULD 'TAKE A LEAD FOM TYNESIDE'

- By SAM VOLPE Health reporter [e-mail]

A TYNESIDE health boss urged MPs to ensure that new government rules don’t weaken the work done to reduce child obesity and limit the number of new takeaways opening.

Alice Wiseman, director of public health for both Newcastle and Gateshead, told members of the Health Select Committee about the work done to bring down child obesity in her areas - and said there was a concern that new planning guidance doesn’t go far enough. In 2015, rules were introduced in Gateshead which blocked new hot food takeaways opening in council wards where 10% or more of children were obese.