Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

 

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in Minute No.32 – Sustainable Food.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: -

 

Councillor S J Rice declared a personal interest in Minute No.32 – Sustainable Food.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change Corporate Delivery Committee held on 16 January 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Approved.

Geoff Bacon, Head of Property Services and Jane Richmond, Project Manager Strategic Climate Change, provided the Committee with a report which sought views and ideas on proposed approaches towards:

 

1.       Developing a Swansea Council Sustainable Food Policy.

2.       Supporting the wider Swansea County with regard to Sustainable    Food.

 

It was outlined that as part of Swansea Council’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2030 and in order to align with the Net Zero Wales agenda by 2050, the report aimed to demonstrate an ambition to promote a healthy and sustainable food system at an organisational level and county wide, both with the intention to improve people’s lives and reduce our impact on the planet through food.

 

The Welsh Government consultation on a Food (Wales) Bill, the purpose of which was to establish a more sustainable food system in Wales, was provided at Appendix 1. Appendix 2 provided the Swansea Council - Sustainable Food Strategy – Key Headlines and Appendix 3 provided the Swansea - Sustainable Food Activity – Position Statement.

 

It was outlined that the proposition was that a new policy should align with the anticipated Food (Wales) Bill primary and secondary food goals with the addition of some further detail as suggested by key officers and drafted for discussion.  Upon agreement of the key themes, a draft policy would be developed and circulated, with the intention to present to Cabinet in line with the approval of the Food (Wales) Bill.

 

Reference was made to the considerable activity and great working happening across the county already taking place.  It was added that Bywd Abertawe in particular were driving a large campaign backed by recent Welsh Government funding. It was anticipated that they would lead on the Swansea wide agenda.

 

It was summarised that by developing both an internal Swansea Council

Sustainable Food Policy and supporting the wider community using the new

Food (Wales) Bill goals as foundations, it would ensure all parties had

consistent and ambitious messages on this fast moving agenda.  The Food

(Wales) Bill was currently at stage one of a four stage process, so developing

a Swansea Council Policy with the Committee in readiness for its anticipated

approval, would be advantageous.

 

 

The Chair highlighted the need for further discussions and workshops to

develop the policy.  Councillor David Hopkins, Deputy Leader of the Council

referred to the need to use local products to provide affordable nutritious food,

to develop a policy and using the expertise the Council had on this area.

 

The Committee discussed the following: -

 

·       Community growing, use of allotments / green spaces and bureaucracy blocking progress.

·       Identification of suitable land and the difficulties being encountered, the need to agree a policy and using the wider mixed economy to progess matters.

·       Use of food waste as fertilizer for future food production / energy.

·       Ensuring that the majority of food produced is used and does not waste, particularly providing fresh food to food banks.

·       The need to keep food miles down during production / delivery, utilising local producers and how procurement procedures could assist in this respect.

·       Producing a data factsheet for local businesses, particularly regarding hygiene / recycling and composting food waste.

·       How food waste was currently transported to Newport and converted into energy.

·       Influencing people’s shopping habits by encouraging them to only buy what they need, the impact of the lack of cooking skills upon people’s budgets and how the energy crisis meant that some individuals could not afford to cook food.

 

Resolved that the proposed approaches to the following be approved:

 

1)       Developing a Swansea Council Sustainable Food Policy.

2)       Supporting the wider Swansea County with regard to Sustainable    Food.

Noted.

The Chair presented ‘for information’ the updated Work Plan 2022-23.