
Issue details
Future Sustainability of Community Larders
Maidstone Borough Council began work in 2021 to address health inequalities in its most deprived communities. The Council received support from the West Kent Health and Care Partnership (WKHCP) to explore the underlying contributory health conditions impacting the wide disparity in healthy life expectancy in the borough, working with local stakeholders to prioritise and focus including addressing diabetes and healthy weight. Using an evidence led approach the Council subsequently commissioned an organisation called Activmob to work with residents in Shepway to understand their experiences around food to understand what interventions may bring about health improvement.
Through this work, it was identified that food insecurity was one of the biggest concerns for residents. Grant funding was secured from the West Kent Health and Care Partnership health inequalities programme to establish a community larder in the area.
With learning from the Shepway Larder, a second Community Larder was established in Park Wood in July 2023. This was also funded by the West Kent Health and Care Partnership who also extended funding to include services provided by the West Kent GP Federation relating to diabetes including nutrition.
In September 2023 a third Community Larder was opened at Trinity utilising Government funding from the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The larders were designed to provide a long-term, sustainable approach to enabling food insecurity and to contribute positively to reducing health inequalities through advice and support for healthy eating and provide access to other support and advice. The wider benefits of the larders have been to reduce food waste and to provide opportunities for volunteering.
The larders have been delivered to date via funding from the WKHCP and the HSF. WKHCP funding has been reviewed and will not continue and HSF funding is limited and its future is uncertain. The Council has considered if and how Community Larders can be made sustainable.
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 10/10/2024
Decision due: 18 Dec 2024 by Cabinet
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Safety
Lead director: Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance
Department: Policy and Communications
Contact: Anna Collier, Head of Insight, Communities & Governance Policies, Communities and Engagement Email: annacollier@maidstone.gov.uk, Orla Sweeney Email: orlasweeney@maidstone.gov.uk.
Head Service: One of the options will be asking for a significant financial investment.
Public Or Private and Reason if Private: Private - the report will be an options report outlining 2 proposals for the future of the larder.
Decisions
- 18/12/2024 - Future Sustainability of Community Larders
Agenda items
- 10/12/2024 - Housing and Community Cohesion Policy Advisory Committee Future Sustainability of Community Larders 10/12/2024
- 18/12/2024 - Cabinet Future Sustainability of Community Larders 18/12/2024
Documents
- Community Larders