Empowering Councils for a Better Food Future – Highlights from the Good Food Local National Rollout Launch

22 May 2025

The national launch event for Good Food Local brought together local authorities, food partnerships, academics, and advocates to explore how councils across the UK can take a systems-based approach to improving local food environments. Spearheaded by Sustain, the event celebrated the success of the London programme and marked a new phase of national rollout.

Why Good Food Local Matters for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin:

At the Shropshire Good Food Partnership, we welcome the national rollout of Good Food Local – a practical and well-evidenced tool that supports local authorities to assess and strengthen their food systems.

We strongly encourage both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council to register and begin using this platform. Here's why it matters for our area:

Clear Benefits for Our Region - Good Food Local offers a structured approach to improving food-related work across council departments. It encourages collaboration between teams – such as public health, planning, environment, education, and procurement – and helps identify priorities and opportunities for coordinated action.

Strategic Focus and Practical Tools - By benchmarking current activity and tracking progress over time, the tool supports councils in making informed decisions, advocating for investment, and aligning local food initiatives with broader goals around health, sustainability, and economic resilience.

Relevance to Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin - Both areas already have our support, as a partnership and the strong food system community we have established. Good Food Local provides a shared national framework to highlight our work, showcase successes, and identify areas for further collaboration.

A Timely Opportunity - With rising concerns around food security, public health, and environmental impact, now is the time to embed food into local strategy. Councils have until December 2025 to complete the assessment, but early engagement offers greater access to support and shared learning.

We look forward to supporting both councils in exploring this opportunity and to continuing to work together towards a fairer, greener, and more resilient food system across the county.

Good Food Local Launch - Overview

From London Roots to Nationwide Ambition

Over 13 years, Good Food for All Londoners supported councils in London to integrate food policies across departments, addressing affordability, health, and sustainability. Now rebranded as Good Food Local, the programme is expanding nationally, supported by the Mayor of London, Impact on Urban Health, and regional public health associations.

Why Local Food Matters

Speakers highlighted the unique power of local food systems to tackle challenges including the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, and public health inequalities. The benchmarking tool developed for local authorities helps councils self-assess progress, identify gaps, and learn from peers through case studies and public dashboards.

Positive Impact Confirmed by Independent Evaluation

Dr. Anne Touboulic and Eleanor Pegali from the University of Nottingham presented findings from their evaluation of the London programme. Key insights include:

• 72% of respondents felt the framework supported a more systemic approach to food.

• Councils reported better collaboration, policy alignment, and concrete actions like healthy advertising reforms and food growing initiatives.

• The tool inspired cross-departmental connections and gave councils a platform to publicly celebrate progress.

North East Case Study: Collective Action at Scale

Craig Blundred, Director of Public Health for Hartlepool, shared how 13 North East councils are using Good Food Local to map food systems, share best practice, and shape regional strategies. Initiatives like repurposing unused land for community growing are already bearing fruit, showing how local food work can directly improve lives.

Next Steps and Opportunities

Local authorities across England and Northern Ireland are now invited to register for the Good Food Local platform, complete the self-assessment, and join a growing movement for healthier, fairer, and greener food systems. While currently tailored to upper-tier authorities, the team is working on adapting the tool for other UK contexts.

Key Takeaways

• Food is a strategic solution to many local challenges.

• The benchmarking tool supports progress, visibility, and partnership-building.

• The process is collaborative, practical, and grounded in lived experience.

• Councils have until December 2025 to complete the survey—early engagement is encouraged.

  
  

Join the Movement

Interested local authorities can register on the Good Food Local platform and start the journey toward integrated, impactful food policy.