Issue - meetings

This report set out the findings and recommendations of the recent task group into the use of food banks in Brent. The task group made the decision to look at this area due to the significant rise in food bank usage nationally and lack of a detailed picture of food bank usage across Brent.

RESOLVED that:

13.1    The report, appendix and the recommendations contained therein, be noted.       

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council, welcomed Councillor Roxanne Mashari, Chair of the Use of Food Banks In Brent Scrutiny Task Group, to the meeting.

Councillor Mashari thanked the Cabinet and stated that the report set out the findings and recommendations of the recent task group into the use of food banks in Brent.

Councillor Mashari stated that the task group made the decision to look at this area due to the significant rise in food bank usage nationally and lack of a detailed picture of food bank usage across Brent.

She stated that members were also concerned with the human impact food poverty is having on local communities and wanted to understand the scale and drivers of food poverty and food insecurity

Councillor Mashari stated that there were a number of issues which arose with the increased use of food banks. Concern was focused on vulnerable residents such as the elderly, disabled and children, for example the impact of hunger on children and young people’s education. The task group also explored why individuals need to use food banks, and ways to tackle stigma associated with this. This included the impact of welfare reform changes from central government, unemployment, rising costs of living and low pay. There also exists a varying degree of regulation, safe guarding and data collection across different providers.

The task group considered that the impact of welfare changes such as Universal Credit could be far reaching. It was vital, therefore, that the council and other local public sector partners put in place organisational arrangements that enable Brent to mitigate the impact Universal Credit as far in advance as possible.

Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, thanked Councillor Mashari for her work in chairing the Task Group and thanked also the members of the Group: Councillors Conneely, Daly, Ezeajughi, Hoda-Benn, Kabir and Kansagra.

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of the Council, reiterated the Cabinet’s thanks for the report. Councillor McLennan noted that many of the task group’s recommendations required support from and joint working with the Council’s partners and suggested that the report be shared widely with partners.

RESOLVED that:

13.1    The report, appendix and the recommendations contained therein, be noted.