About

What is a Food Policy Council?

From the Community Food Security Coalition definition:
Food Policy Councils (FPCs) bring together stakeholders from diverse food-related sectors to examine how the food system is operating and to develop recommendations on how to improve it. FPCs may take many forms, but are typically either commissioned by state or local government, or predominately a grassroots effort. Food policy councils have been successful at educating officials and the public, shaping public policy, improving coordination between existing programs, and starting new programs. Examples include mapping and publicizing local food resources; creating new transit routes to connect underserved areas with full-service grocery stores; persuading government agencies to purchase from local farmers; and organizing community gardens and farmers’ markets.

 

The Bristol Food Policy Council

The Bristol Food Policy Council was launched in March, 2011, at the Bristol Food Conference. It was based on a key recommendation from the Who Feeds Bristol report written by Joy Carey. Bristol is the first city in the UK to have a Food Policy Council.

The people and sectors represented on the Bristol Food Policy Council

Simon Wood is the Chair of the Bristol Food Policy Council and is Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Planning at North Bristol NHS Trust.
Dr. Angela Raffle is the Vice-Chair of the Bristol Food Policy Council, a Consultant in Public Health and has served on the Food Policy Council since it began, focusing specifically on bringing engagement from the health sector.
Tom Andrews is Associate Director at the Soil Association and manager of Sustainable Food Cities, a UK-wide partnership programme to help places take a joined up approach to all aspects of food, health and sustainability: www.sustainablefoodcities.org
Joy Carey is an independent consultant on Sustainable Food System Planning, the author of Who Feeds Bristol? Towards a resilient food plan, a Director of f3 local food consultants CIC, Bristol Food Network CIC, and the Green Capital Partnership CIC.
Steve Ashworth is a tax specialist by trade, amateur chef, and a food judge for Taste of the West, Guild of Fine Foods, Bristol and Bath Food Awards.
Jacqui Reeves is the CEO of FareShare Southwest, an indepedent franchise of the national charity, and which works with the food industry to minimise fit-for-purpose fresh, frozen and long-life food going to waste, and sends this food into organisations working with the most vulnerable people in the community.
Sally Hogg is a Public Health Consultant with Bristol City Council.
Sara Venn is the founder and project lead of Incredible Edible Bristol.
Mark Kidner runs M&D Kidners, a local fruit and veg wholesale company that operates out of St Philips’ Wholesale Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Market.
Fi Hance is the Cabinet Member for City Health and Wellbeing and the Green Councillor for Redland Ward.

 

Bristol Food Policy Council Terms of Reference

You can read the Bristol Food Network Data Protection Policy here. Bristol Food Network admininsters this website on behalf of the Bristol Food Policy Council.

Background

The rationale for establishing a Food Policy Council is to create a high-level strategic grouping combining the different elements of the food system (including production, processing, distribution, retail, catering, consumption and waste disposal) with the common objective of achieving a healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system.

Aim

The aim of the Bristol Food Policy Council is to ensure that Bristol residents and visitors have access to Good Food. The Food Policy Council defines Good food as being: vital to the quality of people’s lives in Bristol. As well as being tasty, healthy and affordable the food we eat should be good for nature, good for workers, good for local businesses and good for animal welfare.

To underpin this aim the FPC have agreed 3 principles:

Good for people – everyone should have access to information, training and resources that enable them to grow, buy, cook, and enjoy good food.

Good for places – the public and policy-makers should support and value food enterprises who promote local jobs, prosperity and diversity, and treat workers well.

Good for the planet – food should be produced, processed, distributed and disposed of in ways that benefit nature.

These elements to underpin all food related work in the city (See Appendix A for key linked strategies).

Responsibilities of the Bristol Food Policy Council

  1. To support and champion the Good Food Plan through working with others
  2. Delegating specific tasks and programmes and overseeing the progress made
  3. Facilitating co-ordination of the different elements of the Bristol Food Policy Council initiative
  4. Influencing and advocating for national, regional and local policies that support development of healthy, sustainable, resilient food systems
  5. Delivering an annual review and presenting at annual conference/event.

Ways of working

The Group will meet at least four times a year.

The Group will appoint a chair.

The Agenda will be distributed at least three working days in advance. Notes and agreed actions will be circulated within two weeks following the meeting.

Reporting arrangements are likely to change with time because of the reorganisations of many public sector management and governance structures. The Group will report to the relevant city partnership structures reflecting strategic leadership, and well-being, neighbourhood management and the Green Capital group.

Bristol City Council will provide administration support.

Membership

The Food Policy Council will include individuals with expertise and experience from the following sectors;

  • Production
  • Wholesale
  • Business development
  • Local Government
  • Catering
  • Green Capital
  • Non-governmental food organisation/Community
  • Retail
  • Health
  • Community
  • Education/Training

Additional members can be co-opted as necessary

Membership of the group is for 3 years with attendance at a minimum of 2 meetings per year.

Appointment to the Food Policy Council will use approved member appointment process, based on areas of the supply chain being represented.

Appendix A

Key linked strategies

  • The Bristol City Council ‘Food Charter’ March 2010
  • The Bristol City Council ‘Climate Change and Energy Security Framework’ 2009
  • The Bristol Development Framework, ‘Core Strategy’ 2010
  • Bristol’s ‘Peak Oil Report’ – Building a Positive Future for Bristol after Peak Oil October 2009
  • ‘Food 2030’ HM Government 2009
  • A Sustainable Food Strategy for Bristol, Bristol Food Network 2009
  • ‘A Good Food Plan For Bristol’, Bristol Food Policy Council November 2013
  • Health and Wellbeing Strategy, July 2013

Please find the process for nominating and appointing the Chair and Vice-Chair here.