The report measured the council’s approach to food within the borough with measurement across multiple areas, such as response to the cost-of-living crisis, children’s food, healthier food environments and food growing. Lambeth Council showed strong leadership in these areas.
Cllr Jim Dickson, Lambeth Cabinet Member Healthier Communities, said: “As a council we recognise the critical role food plays in ensuring the wellbeing of our residents and communities. In common with other London boroughs we experience too many diet related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks and some cancers.
“In response we have multiple programmes and activities running alongside our community groups, residents and partners to support to healthier eating in our borough. It’s such an important social issue and one that I’m pleased that we have been assessed as making progress on.”
Lambeth projects include a family healthy weight and food programme offering bespoke and practical support, a fruit and veg on prescription programme to boost fruit and vegetables consumption for people on low incomes, a project to improve the quality of food for sale around schools and a healthy eating recipe book for Black and Multi Ethnic communities.
Lambeth Council was the first London borough to sign up to the Local Authority Declaration on Healthier Food and Sugar Reduction, the first London borough to endorse The Plant Based Treaty and one of the first London boroughs to sign the Food Purchasing Commitment to improve the food we serve and cut waste.
Twenty nine councils were surveyed for the report by Sustain, Lambeth Council is one of 11 to have received an award for their work with food.
Bella Driessen, Local Policy Coordinator at Sustain says: “In our twelfth year of writing this report, it is fantastic to see continued progress across the capital. Despite incredibly tight budgets, and grappling with the cost-of-living crisis, councils have shown they are committed to making food healthier, more sustainable, and more accessible for their residents.
“We are delighted to be presenting awards to several councils that are doing remarkable work for their communities, and we commend all the councils that took part in the survey and are making efforts to champion good food.”
The full report is available at www.sustainweb.org/good-food-local/london.
