Issue - items at meetings - Food Poverty Report

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and the Director of Public Health (copy attached).

1.            That the Committee supports the council’s approach to food poverty which focuses on addressing the underlying causes of food poverty through the financial inclusion strategy and the work of the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership.

2.            That the Committee notes the various forms of research underway that will help us understand more about the causes and impacts of food poverty in the city.

58.1    The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive in relation to Food Poverty. The report responded to the Notice of Motion regarding food banks submitted to Council on 8 May 2014 which was then referred to the Committee on 11 July 2014; at that meeting Members requested a full report on the issues, incidence and response to food poverty in the city.

58.2    The Chair noted that a letter had been received from the food partnership, and stated he would be happy to participate in a round table discussion – this could form part of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment that reported to the Health & Wellbeing Board.

58.3    Councillor Sykes welcomed the report and noted he would like to propose the following amendment:

            “That Officers to attend a ‘round table’ meeting facilitated by the Food Partnership to consider food poverty in the city, and the actions from this meeting to feed into the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments undertaken by the Health & Wellbeing Board.”

58.4    Councillor Morgan congratulated Officers and partner organisations for the work undertaken, and stated that the level of food poverty was shocking given the relative wealth of both the city and the region.

58.5    The Chair noted that food banks were only one part of a wider system of support.

58.6    Councillor A. Norman welcomed the positive work that was being undertaken by the Council, and she hoped the situation would improve in the near future.

58.7    The Committee agreed the additional recommendation, and the Chair then put the amended recommendations to the vote.

58.8RESOLVED:

1)        That the Committee supports the council’s approach to food poverty which focuses on addressing the underlying causes of food poverty through the financial inclusion strategy and the work of the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership.

2)        That the Committee notes the various forms of research underway that will help us understand more about the causes and impacts of food poverty in the city.

3)        That Officers to attend a ‘round table’ meeting facilitated by the Food Partnership to consider food poverty in the city, and the actions from this meeting to feed into the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments undertaken by the Health & Wellbeing Board.