Something needs to be done about Sandy Wilkinson

[cruel_world00]

I mean honestly. A) Who is voting for this guy? and B) Who does he think he is representing?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6617413595

The city's popular fleet of food trucks could be cut back after their impact on bricks and mortar businesses was hotly debated by City councillors last night.

A council committee approved a set of guidelines for the mobile vendors, after a survey attracting 950 responses - a council record - found overwhelming support for them.

But the number of permits to be issued remains up in the air.

In a lengthy debate, Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood passionately defended the food vans but several councillors said there were too many.

The committee voted to ask for a report outlining why staff had recommended capping permits at 50.

There are 52 food vans trading under the scheme's trial period, a number Cr Sandy Wilkinson said should be slashed to 20.

Mr Yarwood said that would be "ridiculously conservative" and the council would be labelled "a bunch of old fashioned people out of touch with what the city wants".

"I've had at least 1000 people come up to me and say this is the best thing the city ever had," Mr Yarwood said.

"There's 100,000 people in the city each day who love this stuff."

Mr Yarwood said the food vans helped bring a "critical mass" of people into town that would encourage new businesses to open, rather than hurting current traders.

He said two food vans had already transformed into bricks and mortar businesses.

Cr Sandy Wilkinson unsuccessfully called for permits to be capped at 20 and for a report into the economic impact of food vans on permanent traders and their relative start-up and running costs.

"We have vacant shops in Hutt St and Hindley St," Cr Wilkinson said.

"This could compound that situation and see more cafe operators, say in James Place, driven out of business.

"While it's good to be seen to be promoting vitality we could in fact be doing the opposite."

Cr Mark Hamilton agreed 50 was "a step miles too far", while Cr Anne Moran said small business owners were "not happy" and the council should "tread cautiously before we vote the people who pay rates out of business".

Staff gave a brief explanation to the committee that 50 permits was close to the number allowed in Calgary, Canada, which has a similar population to Adelaide.

A final decision on permit numbers will likely be made next month after a report to council.

Bricks and mortar businesses complaining about food trucks just don't get it. For too long they've been serving up boring, uninteresting, expensive fare and now that something better has come along they complain rather than up their game. I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for these businesses.

Who are these councillors talking to outside of the anti-food truck businesses to get an idea on what should or should not occur RE the amount of food trucks?

Also Wilkinson's argument about empty shop fronts does not fly when two of these street vendors have turned their success in a van into actual restaurants.

So glad Stephen Yarwood is doing his darndest to support these people who have turned the streets of Adelaide and the lunch time/special events food scene into an interesting, delicious, well priced market!

Keep on trucking.

[peas_and_corn]

Sandy is a man??

[Shahkar]

http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/coun ... wilkinson/

He has a practise in North Adelaide and gets elected to represent the North Ward. No surprise there! Yarwood honestly, is doing such great work for the city.

[Nathan]

He's crazy. Placing a limit of 20 vans would completely undo the progress made.

I also take issue with the comment "We have vacant shops in Hutt St and Hindley St". I don't think any of the food trucks have ever gone near Hutt St, and the closest they've got to Hindley St has been either Leigh St (where they've been welcomed by the other businesses), and in one of the lanes at City West (where their only competition is the McDonalds). Never mind the fact that shops fronts go vacant for many different reasons (high rent, out growing the location, just plain bad business, etc.)

[cruel_world00]

It couldn't hurt, I emailed my support of food trucks to Sandy:
[email protected]

[Waewick]

the actually food on offer isn't vastly different in price anyway so I'm not sure there is an issue.

The problem people like Sandy and his mate Anne is they can't grasp progress, it is all about the past and what can be done to preserve it.

[cruel_world00]

the actually food on offer isn't vastly different in price anyway so I'm not sure there is an issue.

The problem people like Sandy and his mate Anne is they can't grasp progress, it is all about the past and what can be done to preserve it.

These backwards types like Wilkinson, Moran and businesses alike are so anti change when they're actually the problem, not the food trucks. If people like what you offer, they will part with their hard earned. The success of food trucks goes to show that people want something more. Bricks and mortar cafes/restaurants aren't doing enough it would seem.

[metro]

once again it's the usual suspects in the ACC who are opposed to change and a bit of competition.

[Matt]

It's embarrassing for the majority of the current ACC who are progressive and seem to be actually getting a hell of a lot of positive things done.

Straight away that article appeared in my Facebook feed with people using it to slag off the entire ACC. Harsh to tar them all with the same brush when it's only the couple of usual suspects being sticks in the mud. The mouthy minority gets the headlines, particularly if it gives AdelaideNow the chance to divide.

[crawf]

Ah good ol Sandy....

[cruel_world00]

I emailed Cr Wilkinson but mentioned that he could pass my sentiments on to Cr Moran.

This was her response:

Dear Mike. I think you may have misunderstood where we were coming from . We are not against the mobile vendors at all ! I was just concerned that the number 50 may be too many in terms of keeping up the excellent standard and damaging the existing businesses if there are and excessive number. You are obviously very knowledgable about the industry perhaps you could contact the staff who are writing the report that is looking to ascertain the correct number to grant licences to. It's good that you are so passionate about city issues. Don't hesitate to contact me with your views. Anne Moran

I don't know if she would want me to contact her with my views, particularly towards her decisions that she makes as an Adelaide City Councillor. Kudos to her for responding, though.

[Wayno]

Kudos to her for responding, though.

agreed. I often wonder how good or bad certain individuals actually are, not just councilors but anyone in the lime light.

We see them through the eyes of the media, which could be crossed, myopic, or feldman-esque

amblyopia-feldman.jpg (70.21 KiB) Viewed 5560 times

[Shahkar]

Today Anne Moran, Mark Hamilton and Anthony Williamson successfully moved to delay the passage of proposed food truck regulations until a report had been done on any competitive advantage they might have over bricks-and-mortar retailers.

[stumpjumper]

There are Federal laws against unfair advantages in business, and trading without paying rent or council rates could be caught by those laws. If that's the case, then Wilkinson etc are not doing anything that won't happen eventually anyway.

As to closed shops etc - one way to make an area buzz - I'm not going to use the word 'vibrant' - is to fill it with activity, street vending being part of that activity. People go where people are. I think Wilkinson and co are wrong there - street vendors attract people which will make the re-opening of the shops more likely.

[build 'em smarter]

http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/coun ... wilkinson/

He has been very careful with his wording, as he is not a registered architect so therefore cannot refer to himself as one