York Council announces measures to tackle "endemic" hunger in city
A senior councillor will be responsible for tackling food poverty
Last updated 28th Oct 2021
A senior York councillor is to be charged with tackling food poverty in the city in a bid to tackle “endemic” hunger.
It’s one of a series of measures that will be taken following a unanimous vote by councillors aimed at trying to ensure everyone in York has the right to food, which is a human right according to the United Nations.
The council’s local area coordinators will also be designated ‘food justice champions’ and a partnership, including people who have provided informal food banks, will develop an action plan to help address the causes of food poverty.
There has been an increase of almost 20 per cent in the number of food parcels provided through the local Trussell Trust foodbank network in York from 2020 – 2021.
Labour councillor Bob Webb said food poverty existed before the pandemic, but added that Covid had “highlighted the scale of the gross inequality in our city”.
Coun Webb said that food poverty was a big issue in his ward of Heworth, and that this had been brought home to him when a resident expressed shock at being given sliced white bread in a food parcel.
He added: “There are people that are going hungry in our city and families that are really suffering – particularly parents of young kids who were maybe feeding the kids but then themselves missing out. It’s endemic and it’s a scary prospect.”
The main drivers behind food poverty are problems with the benefits system, challenging life experiences or ill-health and lack of support, according to Coun Webb.
The councillor to take responsibility for food poverty has not yet been identified but it is hoped the move will increase accountability, while the food partnership will build on and formalise the good work done at grassroots level in tackling hunger throughout the pandemic.
Another idea being explored will be the creation of community kitchens in community centres, council-run centres and school kitchens that are out of use during school holidays.
The Liberal Democrats voted in favour of Coun Webb’s motion at the last meeting of full council, but executive member for finance and performance councillor Nigel Ayre said the authority had already taken big steps on tackling food poverty.
He said: “This has included spending more than £800,000 from the council’s own resources to boost government schemes which simply kept falling short of what was actually needed.”
Last month the council’s executive also approved plans to spend a further £200,000 to provide free school meals and community support schemes.