Bill Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Just saw on the north west news tonight that Oldham council are considdering adding a ?1000 per year charge to the anual licence for all fast food establishments. They say that the money raised from this will go towards their healthy eating campaign which might be all well and good but it made me think; is this the sort of thing that we vote these people in for? Personally I don't see how a local council should be allowed to things like this because its going to damage the businesses in question and increase the price the customer has to pay. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 They shouldn't be allowed to Bill but they are not stupid and it's easy money for them. So many people use use fast food establishments these days that in the struggling council's eyes they are just sitting ducks with ? signs around their necks and plump and healthy ones at that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 They should not be allowed, Its still a free Country, If people want to be fat its their choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Whats this LtKije? Changing your tune? This is the approach being used by your beloved forms of government. The people we employ to govern our town and country have turned into the people who steal ever increasing amounts of our money in pursuit of increasing their own power and wealth. And people like you are encouraging them in their aims. Shame on them and on the people who support them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 ............ Its still a free Country............. Have you been drinking Kije??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Not in a pub - if your a smoker - that's how "free" it is! Either folk believe the State should protect folk against themselves or butt out altogether; it's an issue of principle not one for cherry picking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 It is a free country, provided you comply with the rules. Free medical care Free handouts if you are unemployed. Free housing if you are homeless and unemployed. There is no end to what you can get for nowt. You do have to be careful of what you say though in case you upset (insert ethnic minority of choice here) with your views Now taxing Fast Food outlets to raise money to help people who are obese form eating at Fast Food outlets is a great money spinner but kind of defeating it's own objective. I mean if they do manage to wean people off eating Fast Food then those businesses are going to close so the revenue from the tax on them will be lost. or is that just me looking at the long term projection again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Nope, think it's called "the law of diminishing return" Sid. If you over tax fags, booze and junk food, people stop the habit - or do they?! The use of the tax system as an instrument of social engineering isn't new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Evils..... your posts are really funny now that you have started including the comment 'insert word of choice' Your long term projection is spot on though... maybe the council are just wanting to make fast money while they still can ie before people decide to go down the healthy food option themselves. Nahh that will never happen eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 The word business is to often used when speaking of local authorities. They are supposed to be a service. Once there were the good old days, but they fixed it when it wasn't broke. Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Its good to see that most people thought much the same on this one. What really got me wound up was the thought of some councillor with absolutely no medical credentials making decissions about what I should choose to eat. Where would these people draw the line? I had a tuna and sweetcorn roll on the motorway today that came with a bit of salad and portion of chips, so healthy or unhealthy. Don't bother answering that because it'll make no difference, unless of course you happen to be an Oldham councilor! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 The simplest way to deal with this (assuming they care) is to influence prices of sourced foods by subsidies or tax. So it actually becomes cheaper to eat the healthy option. This however, doesn't cover inability or laziness to actually cook food, or the unhealthy preparation or cooking of food - so folk will continue to get fatter and develope obesity related medical conditions that will increase demands on the NHS, and thus all our wallets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 It is all a ploy really by all these weight watching food manufacturers "eating our brand will help you reduce weight. Try our new healthy option meals." Well duh. If you look at them they are only half the portion size so you are eating less and should therefore loose weight. Compare these to a normal size portion meal of the same type for example spaghetti bolognese and you will find that they tend to be at least half as much again in cost. "so to stay healthy then pay more for less and buy our brand". What a money spinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Coincidence, but NHS Ambulance services are now having to purchase new (and more expensive) ambulances, and modify their existing fleets; in order to accomodate the growing number of "extra large" patients! So it's already proving a cost to the rest of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 I saw that as well. Made me wonder though if this wasn?t just another way of getting the message across. There?s always been an overweight person for them to deal with and their equipment won?t have been designed to handle only light people. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Not sure about the stretchers and such but I do know that the tail lifts on my brothers vans are rated at 300kg, considering that my car is around 400kg, it will give you some idea of what they can lift (they are load tested to 125% of rated load if I remember correctly) So the actual lift part of the ambulance should be able to cope with most obese people. The problem is the physical size. They were originally designed for the normal stretchers/trolleys and so would be a tight squeeze for the more obese patients. I did hear that they are investing in special equipment that can be used on stairlifts to help get larger patients down stairs. Mostly it is for the safety of the ambulance person (some of the ones I have seen around the hospital look as though they would struggle lifting a bag of spuds they are so small, but then i am most certainly doing them a disservice.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 a small fraction raised by the fat tax will actually go into healthy eating programs (can get far too patronising anyway), the rest will go into council coffers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Your probably correct Rick; but that raises another question for debate: should we have a dedicated tax system, where the revenues from given taxes have to be spent within given areas? EG: Car Tax - spent solely on roads and transport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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