Agenda item

The amendment in the name of Councillor Sara Conway was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Conway was declared LOST.

The substantive motion in the name of Councillor Daniel Thomas was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that:

Council’s vision for food security in Barnet is that:

1.    All residents, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. We want to ensure people have such access consistently and reliably, without resorting to emergency supplies, scavenging, stealing or other coping strategies.

Council believes that:

1.    Covid has created unprecedented challenges for residents across the borough and impacted on access to food for various reasons such as shielding, the inability to book online delivery slots and fear of supermarket visits and an increase in unemployment.

2.    The Council should help those most vulnerable tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity, minimise its health impacts and support the voluntary and community sector who aid in this area.

Council notes that:

1.    The Council has been combatting food insecurity for years, having established a Working Group in 2017, and signing off an action plan in 2019. This action plan has now been amended in light of the Covid pandemic.

2.    At the beginning of the pandemic outbreak, the Council set up an Essential Supplies Hub that provided food and other essentials to vulnerable individuals and families across the borough.

3.    The Council has continued to support foodbanks throughout the pandemic, with a particular emphasis on ensuring good supply during school holidays.

4.    The Council was allocated almost £1million from the Government’s Covid Winter Grant Scheme. 80% of this grant went to providing meal vouchers for children and families, to ensure no children went hungry over the school holidays, while the remainder was allocated to supporting other vulnerable residents across Barnet.

5.    Over 650 people volunteered to support our Essential Supplies Hub, helping to support those in need and to fight food insecurity.

6.    Should a food bank be forced to close due to extenuating circumstances, the Council has contingency plans to ensure a continued supply.

7.    To ensure the long-term sustainability of Barnet’s local food aid providers, we are providing them with links to resources to attract new direct donations, in addition to resources provided via the Essential Supplies Hub. As part of this, Young Barnet Foundation (YBF) is currently running a campaign to encourage donations directly to foodbanks.

Council resolves to:

1.    Produce a new food security action plan.

2.    Continue working to ensure that future emergency plans incorporate food security.

3.    Place an even greater emphasis on tackling the underlying causes of food insecurity.

4.    Thank all Barnet residents and community groups who have helped fight food insecurity in our borough by supporting our food banks, volunteering with our supplies hub and more.