A mobile food van has been given permission to operate on the shores of Lake Forbes for another three months while Council works out a policy to govern that type of business.
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The Sweet Three Vintage Van has been operating for three months at Lions Park under temporary approval, the owner applied for an extension of that at the November Council meeting.
Monique Pointon told the meeting she had been overwhelmed by the response to her business.
“I wanted to bring families down to the lake, create an atmosphere,” she said.
“It’s exceeded my expectations. People are coming for hours – grabbing a coffee, kicking a ball around, kyacking.”
Councillors gave the go-ahead for the van to operate until the end of February while some rules for governing the operation of such businesses are formalised.
Councillors were presented with a draft local approval policy for mobile food vans, which they approved to be placed on display for public comment, view a copy at Council’s offices.
The policy’s recommendations include: annual approvals; 50m between food vans; 50m from any other operating food / drink business; booking of the park or public space a month in advance; a daily fee, to be paid in advance; metering of electricity used by the van, to be read and billed quarterly.
Councillors also agreed to convene a meeting to discuss fees for food vans, particularly those that connect to Council’s water and electricity at locations like Lions Park.
In other matters considered at the November meeting, Council has deferred making a decision on its community consultative committee structure.
A report to the November Council meeting outlined the five proposed committees of Council: leadership; community and places; enterprises; natural environment; and infrastructure.
Councillors at their October meeting had decided to form committees for the Forbes Riverside Community Gardens, Heritage Advisory Committee and Aerodrome Committee and hold a workshop about the rest.
Council’s new general manager Steve Loane said he felt the policy needed work.
“I need to understand what we want to achieve and make sure the committees match up with that, otherwise we will be struggling.”
Cr Phyllis Miller pointed out that it had been 15 months since the community consultative groups had been in operation.
