Agenda item

(REPORT TO FOLLOW)

The Senior Project Manager, Climate, Energy & Green Spaces team, will attend the meeting to provide a presentation to Members on the Strategy and the work undertaken since the Committee last considered the Food Strategy on 27^th November 2023.

This report provided the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee with an update on the progress of the Leeds Food Strategy. The Senior Project Manager, Climate, Energy & Green Spaces team, attended the meeting to provide a presentation to Members on the Strategy and the work undertaken since the Committee last considered the Food Strategy on 27th November 2023.

The Chair introduced the item, noting a previous update had been provided to the Committee on the 27^th of November 2023. The Leeds Food Strategy covered a vast scope of topics and issues and Mission 3 – Sustainability and Resilience was most relevant to the Committee’s remit.

Andrew White, Senior Project Manager, presented the report and highlighted the following information:

·  The was the third update provided to the Committee as Officers had also attended a Working Group. The presentation was to particularly focus and follow up on discussions from the 27^th of November 2023 meeting.

·  A report for the strategy was due for submission and consideration by the Executive Board in September 2024. The contents of the presentation the Committee were to focus on key areas of progress and challenges that required consideration, as well as providing an overview of the three missions; 1. Health and Wellbeing, 2. Food Security and Economy, 3. Sustainability and Resilience, which linked to the Council’s three pillars.

·  The background was outlined as, from 2006 to 2010 a Food Strategy was in place, at a Council meeting in September 2014 Feed Leeds had made a deputisation and Public Health had been tasked with building partnerships, the Leeds Food Partnership was established in 2017, a National Food Strategy was launched in 2020, following a consultation, the Leeds Food Strategy had been approved by the Executive Board in 2023 and this report was the draft annual update.

·  The aim was for the strategy to run long term, in line with the Climate Emergency Declaration and the carbon neutrality by 2030 ambition. The associated targets were also long term and still in development; the revised document was to be published following submission to Executive Board.

·  The strategy was in partnership with Food Wise Leeds and there were seven internal Officers working on the strategy from Public Health, Financial Inclusion and Climate, Energy and Green Spaces, and also a steering group managed the implementation of the three missions.

·  Since November 2023 wording revisions had been made to aid clarity for the strategy’s purpose and the original 15 objectives had been reduced to 12. There were 16 key performance indicators (KPI) which were still in development and linked in with other Council services.

·  There were four objectives, with related actions to support the work on health and wellbeing, as part of mission 1.

·  There were four objectives, with related actions to support the work on food security and economy, as part of mission 2.

·  There were four objectives, with related actions to support the work on sustainability and resilience, as part of mission 3, this mission was the most specific to the work of the Committee.

·  Areas of progress for mission 3 were noted as, raising the profile of nutritious, climate friendly food options and support for community growing initiatives, including work alongside Incredible Edible. Work for the ‘right to grow’ initiative was ongoing to understand implementation options.

·  Limiting food waste, including a hierarchy of waste model, was integral to the strategy; utilising food waste linked to a number of partners. Work on the waste strategy was ongoing, with issues of brown bin provision and capacity around the city and quality standard requirements noted. A Council catering mark award was in development with a public consultation having been conducted.

·  Challenges to the strategy’s implementation were limited influence on supply chains, decreased funding for Food Wise, limited engagement methods, staffing issues and accuracy of carbon calculations.

During discussions the Committee discussed the following:

• The wording for KPI 5, which related to food environment, was queried as the measure may not be quantifiable and may be better as a percentile measurement. In response, this KPI had been developed alongside local planning policy to address obesity and food related ill health, particularly to reduce the availability of unhealth takeaway foods around schools but the KPI was to be refined prior to its use.
• The material consideration that planning decision makers would use to restrict hot food takeaways on a class usage basis and a map identifying takeaways was available to scope levels on concentration in a given area. Further information was agreed to be provided back to Members to expand on this matter. There was an aspiration for this guidance to be applied to all areas, and not just focus on secondary schools and inner city areas.
• Ward Members could work with planning and licensing to understand concentration and provision of hot food takeaways in their area and could attempt to utilise Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) policy where necessary.
• As other Local Authorities had similar planning policies in place, outcome data was noted to be of interest to Committee Members, however data was not yet available.
• KPI15 related to internal procurement where the Council held strong influence whereas KPI9 related more to business advice and support, where there was less strength of influence. It was noted that KPI15 was currently guideline for Council procurement processes, covering a vast scope of contracts and commissions, with monitoring framework in place. KPI9 was for businesses supported by development services in order to encourage better sustainability practises and stringent performance monitoring.
• For KPI7, referring to the percentage of children eligible for free school meals, it was clarified that this indicator was specific to mission 1, Health and Wellbeing. Data indicated that eligibility and take up were fairly low, but further breakdown of data was anticipated when the report was submitted to the Executive Board.
• It was noted that the KPIs lacked baseline data that can be measured against, which was required for sound progress monitoring and accountability. In order to track the three missions of the strategy, there was existing data, but the methodology required further scrutiny.
• A sensible approach to limiting takeaways was required as it was dependent on the type of food and there was also the option to use a delivery apps to order unhealthy food from outside of the immediate locality. The economic implications, given this rise in the gig economy over recent years was discussed. These issues were considered to be more within the planning system’s sphere of influence.
• WYCA were outlined to be working on a similar agenda, and although work was somewhat linked, the strategy focused on the Council’s remit.
• The focus on internal procurement processes was supported, however, the ability to influence sustainability measures for commercial businesses and alternative providers was queried. This was done through providing information and signposting to climate friendly options, reducing waste and understanding the carbon footprint of food, as well as the work towards Leeds being a sustainable destination.
• Work to connect local farmers to local businesses had been explored but contact had been limited and economic interests and the dynamic nature of procurement raised challenges. Members suggestions were encouraged to connect the service with local growers and farmers.
• To promote the right to grow initiative, more information had been added to the Council’s website, supported by Incredible Edible.
• As creating community gardens and local food networks required time, effort and training, the availability of support packages was limited due to Council’s financial constraints but links to relevant organisations and charities were made.
• Incredible Edible was considered an umbrella organisation that could support community growing initiatives and provide advice and support to then allow new organisations to become sustainable. There was an issue regarding future funding plans to support these models as previously secured lottery funding had come to an end. Community Committee funding was noted to be a potential option for funding support.
• Community growing initiatives could be linked to community events and food banks to support social connections. The Council and University of Leeds had help discussions on this topic which fed into a food aid network map. The allotment development plan and WYCA climate grants were considered appropriate vehicles for improving project links.
• There were stark social, education, health and wellbeing opportunities within community growing initiatives and existing networks were to be celebrated, which may encourage more projects to come to fruition.
• Using brown bins for food waste was problematic as there were associated service supply, infrequent collection and financial issues; expectations needed to be managed. It was noted that the domestic food waste plans had been set by the previous Government and funding was available and further information and developments were anticipated.
• A waste strategy report was due for submission to the Environment, Housing and Communities Scrutiny Board where information on the logistics of waste collection, in support of new plans, were anticipated.
• To reduce food waste, freeze drying or fermenting seasonal foods was suggested as a potential option, which was agreed to be explored. Discussions had been held with the University of Leeds to identify where food waste could be utilised to create other products such as juice or bodywash.
• Methods to encourage compositing were funding dependent but Food Wise were running a community composting project. It was noted that this would be particularly beneficial in outer areas.

The Chair summarised discussions, noting, that some discussion points would be interesting to bring forward for consideration at Working Group meetings, such as procurement, waste strategy and the KPIs relating to sustainability. All Director’s updates scheduled for the 2024/25 municipal year had been requested to focus on procurement models.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report, and the progress made to date, as well as the longer term ambitions for partnership, engagement and policy alignment, so that the Leeds Food Strategy delivers for the city, along with Members comments, be noted.