Cabinet to consider update on Sustainable Food Partnership

19 March 2025

Cabinet is to be updated on the ongoing work of Bwyd Powys Food, the Sustainable Food Partnership for Powys, the county council has said.

Following the launch of Bwyd Powys Food - A Food Vision, Strategy, and Action Plan for Powys, in July 2024, the Cabinet is being updated on the activities that have been undertaken and supported by Powys County Council to date.

Some of the activities include:

• Rural Enterprise Dwellings for Small-Scale Horticulture - new planning guidance, developed in collaboration with Bwyd Powys Food and other partners, to support and assist small-scale horticultural enterprises, to help make it easier to get planning permission for a house where a grower needs it to be close to their crops.
• Welsh Veg in Schools - in partnership with six other Welsh local authorities and Castell Howell, three high schools in Powys were supplied with Welsh vegetables from small scale growers via Castell Howell, as part of the pilot project in 2024.
• Cooking Counts - UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) funded 45 individuals to complete a six-week cookery course aimed at improving nutrition, numeracy, and cooking skills, through hands-on activities and group demonstrations.
• Eat Smart, Save Better - group sessions aimed at encouraging residents to eat healthy and on a budget, offered practical advice to 226 individuals across 32 locations to help create nutritious and cost-effective family meals.
• Food and Fun - a school-based education programme, administered by the Welsh Local Government Association, provided food and nutrition education, physical activity, enrichment sessions, and healthy meals to children during the school summer holidays.
• Sarn Farm/Future Farm - funded by the UK SPF and Assets Collaboration Programme Wales Phase 3 and working with Our Food 1200 to pilot the creation of three new farms on Council land, to support new entrants to farming, to grow food in a way that addresses the climate and nature emergency, and to support the foundational economy.

Cllr Jake Berriman, Cabinet Member for A Connected Powys, said: "As part of our commitment to build a stronger, fairer and greener Powys we would like to see more of the food we eat grown here in our own county, promoting a food system where local, sustainable, and healthy food is accessible to everyone, supporting the well-being of communities, individuals, and the environment."

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for A Safer Powys, said: "Helping people to enjoy their food and eat healthily is central to our food vision and strategy for Powys. The activities we have undertaken so far have contributed to that, giving people the skills to prepare tasty food safely. Basic food preparation is one of the essential skills for enjoying a good life, but we need to ensure that nutritious locally grown food is affordable. We are committed to the Bwyd Powys Food Partnership and the overarching vision; to ensure "Good food for Powys"."

The information will be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday, 25 March.

The full Food Vision, Strategy, and Acton Plan for Powys can be accessed at: https://www.cultivate.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BPF-R4C-English-Final.pdf