Council accused of double standards over Craven Leisure vending machines

A Councillor has accused North Yorkshire Council of double standards for launching a strategy that aims to tackle obesity whilst selling sugary drinks and snacks at its leisure centres.

Earlier this month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported the results of a freedom of information request that revealed the council had brought in £100,000 over the last three years through the “unhealthy” vending machines.

According to the figures, Craven Leisure in Skipton has generated the most income at £26,926.

During a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council in Northallerton last week, councillors were asked to approve a new health and wellbeing strategy that includes measures the authority will take to get people more active and reduce years spent in ill health.

It warned almost two-thirds of adults in the county are overweight as well as one-third of 11-year-old children.
Councillor Andy Brown (Green Party, Aire Valley), said the report “sounds great in theory” but “in practice, this council has a very long way to go.”

He said: “You go down to the leisure centre in Craven today and see our children indulging in healthy exercise they will find high-sugar drinks on sale there and throughout our leisure centres. We’ve known for years about the obesity crisis but we are still selling sugary drinks in places our children go for their own improvement.

Cllr Brown added: “Many of you will say it’s a matter of personal choice. Why don’t we put cigarette machines in there or cocaine-selling machines?

You have to draw the line somewhere and the obesity crisis is so bad. We really need to do better. I can’t vote for this, while it remains a good theory so much of our practice remains patchy and we carry on selling sugary drinks at our leisure centres.”

Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance told the LDRS that snacks are damaging children’s health in North Yorkshire.

Executive member for culture arts and housing, Cllr Simon Myers (Conservative, Mid-Craven) said the council would be reviewing the use of vending machines when it brings all of its leisure centres back in-house.

The council also said it offers healthy food at its leisure centres in cafes.

Cllr Myers said: “I understand my good friend Councillor Brown likes to grab a headline in the Craven Herald, but that’s a non-story. He’s been told we’ll review our offer in our leisure centres. We’re a new council we haven’t had the chance to do that yet.”