At the Full Council Meeting (17-10-19) the council unanimously passed a motion by Labour Councillor Alex Collis to fully endorse Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance  ‘‘Collaborative Action Plan for Cambridge’  and continue to work in partnership with local agencies to tackle food poverty in our city, and its underlying causes.

This very much built on an initial report by Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance: ‘Towards a collaborative food action plan‘.

What is most saddening about both reports is the simple fact that some people in Cambridge are going hungry.

Sam Dyer, a Romsey Labour member, is director of Cambridge Sustainable Food, one of the key partners in the Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance.

Cambridge Labour said

” we’re looking forward to working together with the Food Poverty Alliance to ensure that people in Cambridge have access to good food, and that we are tackling the underlying causes of food poverty”

Daniel Zeichner said

“Access to Healthy and nutritious food should be the basic requirement for everyone and, while national policy continues to drive an austerity agenda, how we collaborate and take action on food poverty in Cambridge can make a real difference to whether local residents and their families go hungry.

You can read the action plan at https://bit.ly/2IZhTwa

Councillor Collis: Food Poverty

Council notes the rise in food poverty both nationally and in Cambridge, where the Cambridge City Food Bank distributed 8,766 3 day emergency food parcels to people in crisis last year, an increase of 36% from 2017. Nationally, food bank usage has now risen above 1 million.

Council notes with thanks the excellent work being done by officers across the city to tackle the impact of this trend, including;

– developing a programme of holiday lunches that in 2018/9 provided 2737 free meals

– supporting 51 cookery skills sessions (2018/9) attended by 271 local residents

– continuing to develop a robust, evidence-based anti-poverty strategy to tackle the underlying causes of food poverty and insecurity

– promotion of the Living Wage

We also welcome the strength of partnership working in line with our Sustainable Food Policy. This is particularly evident within the Food Poverty Alliance established by Cambridge Sustainable Food, which incorporates the council, Cambridge city foodbank, housing providers, sports clubs, local churches and other frontline organisations providing community meals, emergency food provision and advice.

We note the publication of the alliance’s comprehensive action plan listing a package of preventative and crisis measures, and five main aims;

1. 1. to ensure children’s access to food 365 days a year
   2. to ensure there is emergency support so that people in Cambridge do not go hungry
   3. aim to tackle the underlying causes of food poverty in Cambridge
   4. to promote and support community responses to food poverty
   5. to monitor and evaluate the extent of food poverty in Cambridge

At a national level, this council;

– is concerned that in the event of a No Deal Brexit, there will be a significant impact both on our short-term food security and any longer term work to establish a sustainable food strategy for the UK.

– welcomes UK Labour’s pledge to introduce a Fair Food Act, creating a legal right to food, and their aim to halve food bank usage in their first year in government.

Cambridge City Council therefore resolves to;

– fully endorse the Food Poverty Alliance’s action plan and continue to work in partnership with local agencies to tackle food poverty in our city, and its underlying causes.

– call on our local MPs to support Sue Hayman MP’s proposals for a Fair Food Act.