To consider the following Notice of Motion, which has been submitted by Cllr Gaynor Austin pursuant to Standing Order 9 (1):
"This Council recognises food poverty and food insecurity as issues meriting urgent action within the Borough. Therefore, this Council commits to:
·
the development of a Food Poverty Strategy and
Action Plan, including the preparation and delivery of a Food Access Plan
(identifying the barriers to accessing sufficient
affordable and nutritious food, and actions to address them);
·
the drawing up of local measures of food poverty
and insecurity to provide a baseline by which to monitor interventions and
evaluate progress; and
· working with partnership organisations and engaging with external experts in the field where possible, including the facilitation of a Food Insecurity Forum."
Minutes:
The Council was asked to consider the following Notice of Motion on food poverty which had been submitted for debate by Cllr Gaynor Austin in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 9 (1):
“This Council recognises food poverty and food insecurity as issues meriting urgent action within the Borough. Therefore, this Council commits to:
· the development of a Food Poverty Strategy and Action Plan, including the preparation and delivery of a Food Access Plan (identifying the barriers to accessing sufficient affordable and nutritious food, and actions to address them);
· the drawing up of local measures of food poverty and insecurity to provide a baseline by which to monitor interventions and evaluate progress; and
· working with partnership organisations and engaging with external experts in the field where possible, including the facilitation of a Food Insecurity Forum.”
In introducing the Motion, Cllr Austin referred to the issues of food poverty and food insecurity and the stigma still associated with going to a food bank and the lack of dignity felt by those who were in need of charity for even very basic food items. Cllr Austin spoke of the increased usage of food banks within the Borough and also the numbers of school children who received free school meals and the difficulties experienced by many during school holidays, when parents often went without food so that their children were fed. The link between lack of food and poor educational attainment was also stressed by Cllr Austin.
A policy and review panel report from 2015 had examined the use of food banks in the Borough and had recommended that follow-up work should be undertaken on acquiring more data and evidence on the subject. It was noted that, according to the Trussell Trust, there had been a 19% increase in food bank usage in 2018/19 and that there had been a 73% increase over the previous five years. Cllr Austin called for a food strategy action plan to ascertain what the levels of food poverty were in the Borough and how to support the work being done by the local food banks.
During discussion, reference was made to food poverty being a major issue in the Borough. Attention was drawn to the lack of breakfast clubs for school children over the summer holiday period. These clubs were important to families struggling with food poverty. It was noted that about 10% of the Borough’s children were registered for free school meals. It was the opinion of some that the effect of Universal Credit had added to these problems, where people were not receiving the appropriate support they needed.
The view was expressed that the Council’s deprivation strategy needed to be refreshed and that work in partnership with the voluntary sector was required. However, some Members felt that measuring food poverty would be difficult. The view was also expressed that that food poverty and food security was not restricted to the disadvantaged. It was pointed out that there were many issues involved and that simplifying the Motion to food poverty did not adequately reflect the reasons why people attended food banks. There was a need for data to be collected, involving partners in the process, before the issues raised in the Motion could be supported.
On a recorded vote, there voted: FOR: Cllrs Gaynor Austin, T.D. Bridgeman, A.K. Chowdhury, A.S. Dekker, K. Dibble, C.P. Grattan, Christine Guinness, A.J. Halstead, Sophie Porter and M.J. Roberts (10); AGAINST: Cllrs Diane Bedford, J.B. Canty, M.S. Choudhary, Sophia Choudhary, D.E. Clifford, R.M. Cooper, P.I.C. Crerar, P.J. Cullum, L. Jeffers, Prabesh KC, Mara Makunura, J.H. Marsh, S.J. Masterson, Marina Munro, K.H. Muschamp, A.R. Newell, M.L. Sheehan, M.D. Smith, C.J. Stewart, M.J. Tennant, B.A. Thomas, Jacqui Vosper and J.E. Woolley (23) and ABSTAINED: the Deputy Mayor (Cllr P.F. Rust) and the Mayor (Cllr Sue Carter) (2) and the Motion was DECLARED LOST.