By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
A food scheme supporting some of the poorest families could be moved from 11 Nottinghamshire children’s centres and instead run through community groups under new county council plans.
The authority has stressed the scheme will continue as before despite the moves, but one opposition councillor said changing locations could disrupt families’ ability to access the help.
The national Food On Our Doorstep (FOOD) initiative is run out of 23 locations in Nottinghamshire having initially piloted in two children’s hubs in late 2020.
The service, initially set up as a public health obesity initiative, was extended to support families through the cost of living crisis.
As of July, 11 clubs were hosted in children’s centres with a further 12 operated through a partnership between Nottinghamshire County Council, the district and borough councils and community organisations.
The scheme is organised by national charity Family Action and offers food boxes to more than 1,700 Nottinghamshire families.
The boxes include fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dried and tinned food.
In shops, the food would normally cost about £15. However, boxes are available to families for just £3.50 with an annual £1 membership required to access the scheme.
County council papers confirm the boxes save families roughly £300 over six months and, between November 2020 and March this year, 20,000 bags of food were sold in Nottinghamshire.
This helped to save £230,000 for local families and prevented 183 tonnes of food – provided by charity FairShare – from going to landfill.
It has been funded through the council’s Covid emergency grants up until last month, with an extra £50,000 provided in August to keep the service running in children’s centres until March next year.
A further commitment was made in May to provide funding to the FOOD initiative until 2026.
But now a forward plan published by the Conservative-led authority has revealed the children’s centre clubs could be transferred over to the community and voluntary sector once the £50,000 fund ends in March.
The council says this will not lead to the end of the clubs but could see them relocated to new venues in the “best suitable” locations.
A decision will be taken by cabinet members in October over whether to make the change.
The forward plan says the decision will: “Agree [to] the transfer of the FOOD Clubs in children’s centres to voluntary and community sector providers by March 31, 2023.”
It comes just weeks after the authority provided the extra cash to keep the services running for seven more months.
The move, made during a delegated decision in August, highlighted the importance of the scheme but added a longer-term model is needed to keep it running.
And Councillor Matt Barney (Con), cabinet member for public health, has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the council wants to ensure the project is protected.
In a statement, he said: “Council public health officers are committed to ensuring FOOD Clubs continue.
“In May 2022, the cabinet approved continued investment in the clubs until March 2026.
“We will be working with Family Action and volunteers to ensure that clubs are based in the best location for the people who need them.”
However, the plan has led to concern from a senior borough councillor who says it could risk further hardship to already-struggling families.
Cllr Steve Carr (Lib Dem), the deputy leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “These eviction plans beggar belief.
“We are living in the worst cost of living crisis for generations and these clubs offer affordable food to families.
“Children’s centres are ideal locations for clubs like this. Moving them could impact the most vulnerable in the worst possible way.”
Affected children’s centres could include Bingham, Chilwell, Eastwood, Harworth and Bircotes, Killisick, Mansfield Woodhouse, Manton, Netherfield, Oak Tree, Ravensdale and Summit (Kirkby-in-Ashfield).
Ray Hames and his family have used the FOOD Club at Harworth and Bircotes Children’s Centre.
In a statement issued alongside the county council earlier this year, he said: “It’s saving us a lot of money.
“It’s very handy to have when money is tight, at least we know that we will always be able to make meals such as lasagne with the mince provided.
“There are times that we can’t always afford items such as yoghurts. It’s definitely value for money.”
Cllr Dr John Doddy (Con), chair of the council’s health and wellbeing board, also previously said the scheme helps families at a time where “things are difficult”.
