Decision details

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)  note the work undertaken by the Plant Based Food Task and Finish Group and endorse the new City Council Sustainable Food Policy;

(2)  agree that the Sustainable Food Policy be reviewed after six months and is brought back to Executive on 28 November 2023;

(3)  raise awareness within the local business community of the work undertaken by the South West Food Hub and the national Dynamic Purchasing UK to support local suppliers and producers to gain new public sector contracts; and

(4)  agree for the Net Zero & Business team to:-

• review the Single Use Plastic Notice of Motion that was carried at Council on 24 April 2018;
• develop a range of KPI’s to monitor the Sustainable Food Policy and carbon emissions associated with the City Council buying food and drink for consumption through Council meetings, Council events and within Council run sites;
• work with Procurement in developing an approved supplier list for the catering of Council meetings and Council events, in line with the six month review of the Sustainable Food Policy, with information to be made readily available for staff on the City Council’s intranet;
• work towards the Heart of the South West declaration of at least a minimum of 50% of all food spend to be procured from growers, producers and manufacturers within the South West local region by 2028;
• co-ordinate customer surveys of City Council venues to understand customer demand for plant based food and drink, and results be made available for the six month review;
• work with the Waste & Recycling team to develop food waste collection from City Council venues, once food waste has been rolled out to residential homes;
• research options of developing a Devon Fruit and Veg Wholesale Market, utilising the Matford Centre;
• review options of installing a filtered water dispenser at the historic Guildhall; and
• explore the potential of registering all public facing Council catering venues as Refill stations under the refill water scheme.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.