Calls have been made for a food strategy in Devon to be put place to stop the reliance many families have on food banks.

At last Thursday’s full Devon County Council meeting, Cllr Su Aves put forward a motion that would see the council nominate an existing cabinet member to take on responsibility for Food Justice and commit to setting up a food partnership to work with district councils and other partners to develop a Food Action Plan.

The motion would see the council re-double its efforts to increase Free School Meal sign ups to ensure that all those who are entitled to them or need them, receive them and encourage Scrutiny to look at the extent of food poverty, to map it, and understand what is going on across the County.

And the council would see invited to write, in association with Devon MPs, to encourage Government to commit funding in the next spending review for the five Sustain policies to protect children’s health and increase access to nutritious food that is culturally appropriate and to support local food production and suppliers and the farming and fishing industries in Devon.

Protection of workers’ jobs so that food supplies are sustained throughout the coronavirus pandemic and any shortages or delays experienced during the EU Brexit, are also called for in the motion, as it increasing Universal Credit so people can buy enough food.

It follows research from the Trussell Trust which shows three million children in the UK are at risk of hunger during the school holidays, and that they anticipates that ending furlough in October would trigger a rise in foodbank use of at least 61 per cent, while foodbank use has already dramatically increased.

Cllr Aves, the Labour member for St Sidwells and St James, said: “The Food Justice Motion is so important for improving the support needed by the many residents across Devon who are suffering from food poverty.

“Putting forward this motion is driven by my discovery that Devon County Council has no Food Strategy in place despite doing so much to help residents during the current pandemic crisis.

“The work being done by the Trussell Trust, Marcus Rashford and others needs support by every local authority.

“Devon County Council needs to have a Food Action Plan to be proactive and provide, with partners, support for all those without enough food.

“Everyone needs nutritious and good quality food. It is not acceptable that parents are having to go without food so they can feed their children.

“Universal Credit is not high enough to cope with the current situation and for Government to consider removing the £20 extra per week that has been a lifeline for many since April is not acceptable.

“Our Government should be protecting residents from the food poverty fall out of COVID-19 and the increasing unemployment.”

Cllr Hilary Ackland, councillor for Pinhoe and Mincinglake, added: “Reliance on food banks to alleviate hunger is unacceptable. The implications of food hunger need to be mitigated by policies like introducing a healthy food subsidy scheme.

“In Devon County Council we need to support and encourage the building of a food infrastructure in which healthy nutritious food locally produced at affordable prices pre-dominates.”

As per the procedure of the council, the motion was referred to the council’s cabinet for consideration, before returning with a recommendation to be determined by the full council at a later date.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/end-injustice-people-devon-suffering-4577556