Agenda item

To receive and consider attached report of the Chief Officer (Sustainable Energy & Air Quality) introducing a verbal update on the draft Leeds Food Strategy. A draft Food Strategy Presentation has also been appended to the report.

The report of the Chief Officer (Sustainable Energy and Air Quality) presented a report that introduced a verbal update on the draft Leeds Food Strategy.

The Senior Project Officer attended the meeting, and provided the Committee with a PowerPoint presentation on the following key points:

·  The reasoning behind needing a Leeds Food Strategy and to set the strategic direction for the city to 2030.

·  An overview of how the strategy was developed.

·  The vision ‘Leeds to have a vibrant food economy where everyone can access local, healthy, and affordable food that is produced in ways that improve our natural environment and embrace innovation’.

·  An overview of the key themes that will help towards the vision. Those being:

1)  Health and wellbeing: help people to eat a safe, healthy, and balanced diet to improve Leeds’ health and wellbeing.

2)  Food security and economy: ensure everyone in Leeds has access to nutritious food as part of a diverse, inclusive, and vibrant food economy.

3)  Sustainability and resilience: ensure the way Leeds produces, consumes, and disposes of its food is fit for the future and supports our climate action plan.

·  A number of objectives for each of the 3 key themes were outlined and discussed.

·  There is an online survey open October 24^th November – 18^th December 2022 and can be accessed on the LCC website[1].

Committee members discussed the following matters.

·  Opportunities to identify funding to allow community groups to grow their own food and provide edible hedges.

·  Trackable strategic actions for each of the themes. It was confirmed that strategic actions will be annually reviewed against a plan created by Food Wise Leeds and the council.

·  It was confirmed that for Leeds to progress to silver and gold, Leeds will have to evidence they’re meeting criteria under each of the key themes, and it is a paper exercise to apply. Once Leeds have achieved this, they do not need to re-apply.

·  A suggestion to include examples under the themes to provide clarity for people reading the strategy.

·  Whether the word ‘safe’ in the first key theme is the correct term, as well as use of the word ‘security’ in the second theme. It was suggested that the word accessibility be used instead for the second theme as the theme talks about food accessibility.

·  It was acknowledged that it is an overarching strategy, and a suggestion was made for officers to come back and present at the CC to show how the strategy relates to CC areas.

·  In response to a questions regarding influencing next steps of the strategy, it was confirmed that the online survey provides an opportunity for anybody to respond to the strategy and provide suggestions. Comments will be taken into consideration for the final strategy and action plan.

·  To include within the strategy an emphasis on procurement, production, and distribution of food,

·  It was confirmed that the strategy aims to link in with the inclusive growth aspect of the Best City Ambition.

·  The economic impact of a farm in Leeds, and clarity on the number of food outlets the council have control over in Leeds. It was confirmed there is approximately 10 food outlets, and the council are looking at introducing carbon labelling in their outlets and work with anchor organisations to roll this out across public and private sectors across Leeds.

RESOLVED – To note the contents of the report and verbal update on the draft Leeds Food Strategy.