NOTICE OF MOTION - THE 'RIGHT TO FOOD' TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE NATIONAL FOOD STRATEGY
This Council recognises that we are seeing a crisis of food poverty born out of the political choices and systemic failings created over the past four decades, which has now reached a tipping point for so many Rotherham residents. The figures are devastating for one of the richest nations in the world and highlight the inequality in the UK in 2021.
This Council notes:
· That there are consistently high rates of poverty across our borough. There is growing concern amongst our health and care professionals about the current situation and the likely exacerbation of poverty figures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty as 2021 progresses.
· Between 2015 and 2019 End Child Poverty reported a 3.4 per cent increase in the number of children in Rotherham who live in poverty. The Rotherham Foodbank gave out 4716 emergency parcels in 2019-20 and have helped 504 clients since January 2020. As there are other foodbanks operating in the area it is fair to assume that the real figure is likely to be much higher.
· The National Food Strategy is the first independent review of England’s entire food system for 75 years. Its purpose is to set out a vision for the kind of food system we should be building for the future, and a plan for how to achieve that vision. It argues that the Covid-19 crisis has brought into painful focus the flaws in the UK’s food system, especially its effect on the nation’s physical and mental health.
This Council supports the demand by The Right to Food campaign that the 11 million people in food poverty should be central to The National Food Strategy. Enshrining the ‘Right to Food’ into law would clarify government obligations on food poverty and would introduce legal avenues to hold government bodies accountable for violations.
This Council calls for the ‘Right to Food’ to be incorporated into the National Food Strategy. We ask the Chief Executive to write to Henry Dimbleby, who is heading the strategy, to further this request.
Mover:- Councillor Sheppard Seconder:- Councillor Cooksey
Minutes:
Proposed by Councillor Sheppard and seconded by Councillor Cooksey.
“This Council believes that:
The ‘Right to Food’ should be incorporated into the National Food Strategy
This Council recognises that we are seeing a crisis of food poverty born out of the political choices and systemic failings created over the past four decades, which has now reached a tipping point for so many Rotherham residents. The figures are devastating for one of the richest nations in the world and highlight the inequality in the UK in 2021.
This Council notes:
· That there are consistently high rates of poverty across our Borough. There is growing concern amongst our health and care professionals about the current situation and the likely exacerbation of poverty figures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty as 2021 progresses.
· Between 2015 and 2019 End Child Poverty reported a 3.4 per cent increase in the number of children in Rotherham who live in poverty. The Rotherham Foodbank gave out 4,716 emergency parcels in 2019-20 and have helped 504 clients since January 2020. As there are other foodbanks operating in the area it is fair to assume that the real figure is likely to be much higher.
· The National Food Strategy is the first independent review of England’s entire food system for 75 years. Its purpose is to set out a vision for the kind of food system we should be building for the future, and a plan for how to achieve that vision. It argues that the Covid-19 crisis has brought into painful focus the flaws in the UK’s food system, especially its effect on the nation’s physical and mental health.
This Council supports the demand by The Right to Food campaign that the 11 million people in food poverty should be central to The National Food Strategy. Enshrining the ‘Right to Food’ into law would clarify government obligations on food poverty and would introduce legal avenues to hold government bodies accountable for violations.
This Council calls for the ‘Right to Food’ to be incorporated into the National Food Strategy. We ask the Chief Executive to write to Henry Dimbleby, who is heading the strategy, to further this request.”
On being put to the vote the motion was declared as carried.