Issue - meetings

That the committee endorsed and supported the proposal for a new Social Enterprise model which will make a significant contribution to reducing food poverty in the County.

The Chief Officer presented the report which provided information on the development of the food enterprise and response to food poverty.  The project had developed from the holiday hunger campaign into a partnership with Clwyd Alyn, Can Cook and Flintshire County Council to form a social enterprise.  He referred Members to section 1.09 of the report which set out the aims of the social enterprise and that the meals on wheels model would also provide a social aspect delivering to communities especially rural areas whose residents would probably would, on a day to day basis have little social contact and interaction. He then provided information on the domiciliary care food provisions services saying the aim was to move from food aid to food purchase for vulnerable groups which in turn would support people in communities thus tackling loneliness. He referred Members to page 27 point 1.11 in the report which outlined the initial investment with Flintshire aiming to build and develop a production kitchen to deliver food to communities and housing associations. 

Councillor Jones sought clarification on a couple of phrases within the report:-

·                On page 26 at point 1.01 “people do not have access to good fresh food by choice” and asked what that referred to.    In response the Chief Officer clarified there were people who used food banks and that whilst providing an excellent service they did not provide good fresh food. The by choice was that they had nowhere else to go.  The Benefits Manager added there was an issue with people not being able to access good fresh food especially in rural areas.  She added everyone whatever their background had a right to access good fresh food.  Councillor Jones suggested it should be changed to “may by circumstance”.

·                He then referred to the next paragraph “it is known that for every £1 spent on food 37p was added for diet related disease that required treatment later” and asked for clarification.  In response the Benefits Manager explained that this was taken from a piece of research carried out by health professionals looking at the wider impact on the health service because of diet related illnesses.   The comment was made as a consequence of poor diets or people not having enough to eat then 37p from every £1 would be required to treat those people.    Councillor Jones commented that the 37p was what society had to pay to compensate for those choices made in earlier years.

            The Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside said these measures were important especially when applying for funding and outlined the work being undertaken by local authorities and the Health Service with regard to prevention.   The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management and Assets added that this was a great initiative especially for those living in rural areas who would not only received a good nutritious meal and but would also have contact with another person.  We also need to reduce the number of cancers caused by bad diets.

Councillor Paul Johnson raised the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25