Council to Produce Food Strategy as Work to Support the Most Vulnerable Continues

Bedford Borough Council's Executive is set to produce a Food Strategy as it continues its fight against food inequality and poverty across the Borough.

At a Full Council meeting last night, following an amendment by Liberal Democrat Cllr Michael Headley, there was overwhelming support for a motion calling on the Council's Executive to produce a Food Strategy to address food inequality, recognising the considerable work the council has undertaken, the increased activity during the pandemic and the need to build on the work already happening, focussing on those with the greatest need and addressing issues including sustainability and public health.

In comments to the meeting Cllr Headley, the Council's Finance Portfolio Holder, set out some of the considerable measures the Council takes in tackling food inequality and poverty in the Borough, which include providing 100% council tax relief to those on the lowest incomes. This contrasts with most other Councils, which typically impose a bill of several hundred pounds on even the very poorest.

During the height of the pandemic, the Council's community hub and its volunteers delivered thousands of food parcels to the most vulnerable. The Council also has a strong partnership with a wide range of local voluntary groups, which will develop further this winter as it pulls together with them to deliver support and ensure that no family goes hungry.

Cllr Headley also revealed to the meeting that under Mayor Dave Hodgson's commitment to support families with food costs over Christmas, plans are well advanced for shopping vouchers to be made available for families entitled to income related free school meals over the holidays.

Cllr Headley said: "We've shown that we're committed to supporting the most vulnerable, with full council tax relief for those most in need and a wide array of efforts to support those who might otherwise struggle to put food on the table. We now have overwhelming backing from Full Council to pull together the work that's being done and to build on it. This process will help ensure we're doing all we can, across the Council, to help tackle food inequality and poverty across Bedford Borough."

The concluding text of the motion agreed by the Full Council meeting is as follows:

"…The Council resolves to request the Executive to create a Food Strategy to address the causes of food inequality in Bedford Borough for implementation during the 2021/22 and 2022/223 municipal years.

As part of this work, the Executive is requested to recognise:

• That the Council has undertaken considerable work to address food inequality
• That that work has expanded in response to the increased need during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The need to build on that work and to work with external organisations in preparing the Food Strategy, tackling food inequality by focussing on those with the greatest need and addressing issues including sustainability and public health."