Minutes:
Simon Kitchen, Head of Communities – Devon County Council – updated members on the Team Devon approach and work. The following points were included:
· The EDDC Poverty Strategy is helpful for the local government ‘family’ in Devon and DCC is taking on some of the points raised through the strategy.
· Team Devon comprises the Leaders and Chief Executive Officers of Devon councils who meet regularly and have requested Simon Kitchen to co-ordinate work around poverty and food insecurity on their behalf.
· The need to potentially feed the 60,000 people identified as shielding from March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, had highlighted the need to understand local food organisations and their capacity and communication with each other.
· In November 2020, a report from the Social Market Foundation developed understanding of food insecurity and identified a league table of areas in the UK where residents experienced food insecurity which also included areas in Devon.
· DCC wished to use Government funding during the pandemic to create food sustainability and, with district council colleagues, set up food networks in each district to better understand food support locally. The food network project in East Devon ended at the start of the summer 2021.
· DCC research has shown that really vulnerable families are not accessing foodbanks for various reasons.
· DCC is looking to move forward with work to develop a series of food networks across Devon and to work collectively with other councils to promote welfare generally and support for clinically extremely vulnerable residents.
· A way forward in several areas had been agreed loosely and DCC is looking to commission further research to really understand what interventions vulnerable families and older people actually need. It has also been agreed to consider shared principles across district councils in Devon.
· It was noted that there is a lack of common offer of support across the County and Team Devon is looking to bring all of this work together in an agreed strategy.
Discussion and questions from Members and participants included the following points:
· It is vital to understand the root causes of poverty, rather than just address the consequences.
· Victoria Robinson, a Community Development Worker for the Housing Service, advised Members on how food had been distributed during lockdown to various providers including foodbanks, community fridges and larders. A list of food providers in East Devon had been compiled and was currently being updated. Detailed information from East Devon was available and could help to inform the DCC research work. Food providers are also referring clients to other EDDC services as appropriate.
· Victoria Robinson also outlined the process by which food is sourced from the FareShare hub in Bristol and distributed via Exeter Food Action.
· If all providers across Devon work to the same ethos, it may assist with overcoming barriers which prevent people from accessing support.
· It was noted that there is a difference between distributing food which would otherwise be wasted, arising from a duty not to waste food, and assisting those who are vulnerable and in need through foodbanks.
· Part of the solution to food sustainability could include allotments and growing food locally.
The Chair thanked Simon Kitchen for his presentation and looked forward to working with Simon and colleagues at Devon County Council in the future.