Wagga City Council seeks feedback from residents and businesses on a proposal to increase the number of mobile food vendor permits. Photo: Violeta Stoimenova.
Wagga City Council’s proposed changes to the mobile food vendor program are on public exhibition for community feedback.
The draft for the Mobile Food Vendors Trading in Public Places policy proposes to increase the cap from 15 to 20 mobile food vendor permits issued annually.
The policy has been developed to guide mobile food vendor activity. The policy seeks to be well balanced by facilitating mobile food vendor operations while protecting public health, safe-guarding local business proprietors’ interests and maintaining community welfare in public spaces.
Strategic asset planner (parks and recreation) Ben Creighton said the mobile food vendor program had seen an increase in demand for permits.
“Council has seen a number of additional requests over the past 12 months which we haven’t been able to fill because we’d reached the cap of 15 vendors,” Mr Creighton said.
“Under the draft changes, mobile food van permits would be extended from 12 months to 24 months in duration, and there would also be an increase in the cap from 15 to 20 permits.
“This is about allowing the program to expand and service the Wagga Wagga community with access to diverse food and beverage outlets in public places.
“We encourage the community to give us their feedback on the program and the proposed changes to ensure we can achieve that aim while safeguarding local businesses’ interests.
The city council also supports advertising an expression of interest for an exclusive licence for the operation of a food van at the Tarcutta Truck Stop to cater for the high demand in this precinct, which was indicated at the recent meeting.
Council also proposed that the vendors would be required to operate on public land for a minimum of 26 instances per year for the duration of the licence.
Wagga residents and businesses have the opportunity to submit their feedback on the draft changes to the Mobile Food Vendors Trading in Public Places policy until 19 September.
The draft changes to the policy will be on public exhibition until 5 September.
The Tarcuatta Truck Stop permit expression of interest is expected to be advertised later this year.
Hard copies of the draft policy can be collected from Civic Centre Customer Service, Cnr Baylis and Morrow Streets.
To provide a submission, click here.
The city council will not accept late submissions.
Any questions relating to the public exhibition documentation may be referred to the council on 1300 292 442.
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