Council believes:
1. The Covid Pandemic has accelerated the devastating issue of food insecurity.
2. Headline findings from a new report released by the Food Foundation states that food insecurity remains at crisis levels, with devastating impact on the most vulnerable.
3. Food insecurity remains higher than pre- covid levels, affecting an estimated 4.7 million adults (9% of households) over the last six months, compared to pre covid levels of 7.6%. 55% of those experiencing food insecurity an estimated 2.5 million) said it was because they did not have enough money for food.
4. Groups found to be at higher risk were People with disabilities, BAME households, households with children and food sector workers.
5. Although we recognize and welcome the holiday activity funds this is only a temporary measure and food banks and The Bread and Butter Thing are only masking the serious issue of food insecurity.
6. The UK Government must act now to address this for the long term. The UK Government needs to make food security a priority in the recovery phase. We must move away from short term solutions and prioritise policies that will address the underlying causes of this issue.
Council resolves to:
1. Ask the UK Government to conduct an urgent review of the current eligibility threshold for Free School Meals to ensure no disadvantaged child is excluded.
2. Request to the UK Government that a designated authority be appointed to be responsible for monitoring and tackling food insecurity long term.
Minutes:
The following Motion was moved by Councillor Crumbie, and seconded by Councillor Cossins (in Councillor Newall’s absence):
Council believes:
1. The Covid Pandemic has accelerated the devastating issue of food insecurity.
2. Headline findings from a new report released by the Food Foundation states that food insecurity remains at crisis levels, with devastating impact on the most vulnerable.
3. Food insecurity remains higher than pre- covid levels, affecting an estimated 4.7 million adults (9% of households) over the last six months, compared to pre covid levels of 7.6%. 55% of those experiencing food insecurity an estimated 2.5 million) said it was because they did not have enough money for food.
4. Groups found to be at higher risk were People with disabilities, BAME households, households with children and food sector workers.
5. Although we recognize and welcome the holiday activity funds this is only a temporary measure and food banks and The Bread and Butter Thing are only masking the serious issue of food insecurity.
6. The UK Government must act now to address this for the long term. The UK Government needs to make food security a priority in the recovery phase. We must move away from short term solutions and prioritise policies that will address the underlying causes of this issue.
Council resolves to:
1. Ask the UK Government to conduct an urgent review of the current eligibility threshold for Free School Meals to ensure no disadvantaged child is excluded.
2. Request to the UK Government that a designated authority be appointed to be responsible for monitoring and tackling food insecurity long term.
The following amendment to the Motion was moved by Councillor Curry, and seconded by Councillor Allen:
‘That the following be added to the resolution:
3. That the Council seeks funding to ensure that all children that are currently identified as on Free School meals have free meals during the 6 weeks summer holiday in 2021. To identify and feed those children also in the family of those identified for free school meals.’
The Amendment was Lost.
The Substantive Motion was subsequently put to the meeting, and was also Lost.