Jon Hobday, Director of Public Health to provide a verbal update.
Minutes:
Jon Hobday, Director of Public Health provided an update around the anti-poverty strategy.
The update included data around disposable incomes, Bury’s Citizen Advice key issues and statistics from the Bury helpline numbers. Information was provided from a GM residents survey and highlighted that around 70,000 more households were reporting low or very low food security than in the spring, when a previous survey had been completed. Jon Hobday provided an update of the progress made since the last meeting and the plans for the next 3 months which includes distributing community fund money and promoting grass roots activities, targeted work with wards with the lowest levels of disposable income, CAB sessions targeting support towards specific communities and information sharing, training and awareness raising of illegal money lending.
In a response to a member’s question around how food vouchers are distributed, Jon Hobday advised that people are referred by a network of trusted supporters. People are allowed up to 3 fuel voucher payments, there is discretion against who can claim the payment as it has been set up for people who need the support.
A member raised concerns around food and fuel vouchers being given out and questioned why cash is not given to people. In response, Jon Hobday reported that he had worked with Bury Community Support Network with the majority of who are frontline workers, the consensus was that food and fuel vouchers were more cost effective. Frontline workers have listened to people in the community and the feedback is that the vouchers work well, and people are clear which shops take the vouchers. Jon Hobday advised that the fuel and food voucher scheme can be reviewed.
A member raised a concern around the lack of baby banks and questioned the support that food banks are given when SEND children, who may not eat certain foods need to access them. Jon Hobday advised that further work can be completed to look at the offer around the food panty and informed members that there are networks of informal baby banks.
A member questioned whether universal services such as midwives and health visitors can have conversations with people whilst working in the community around the cost of living and sign post them to baby banks and to inform new parents of what items the baby needs and the costs involved.
In a response to a member’s question around the food pantry model, Jon Hobday explained that the food pantry model is more sustainable than a food bank due to income being received, and if donations are made it will make the model even more sustainable.
A member suggested that food banks and the food pantry model is not the right answer to tackle the cost of living crisis and advised that solutions have to focus on people working together to improve things such as high rent costs and people turning to loan sharks. In response, J Eastham, Community Collaborator reported that she had directed people to the food pantry, but they felt that it was not for them and suggested that the food pantry needed to be promoted more and be more inclusive. J Eastham explained how illegal money lending could become an issue.
A member advised that food banks do much more than give food and that the Cost of Living Summit demonstrated the extent of support the food banks give to people. The VFCA are working with Bury Community Support Network, Next Steps to look at the future and potentially look at other models to develop the pantry model further.
It was agreed:
1. To thank Jon Hobday and his team for the work around the anti-poverty strategy.
2. To review the food and fuel voucher scheme.
3. To review the baby bank offer.