Pennine Lancashire Consortium of Local Authorities plan to test planning powers to restrict food retailers that do not offer healthier options and test a range of levers to incentivise existing retailers to improve their offer, whilst supporting elected members and community grassroots movements.
The Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and administered by the Local Government Association. Public Health England also providing expert support and advice.
Pennine Lancashire Consortium of Local Authorities plan to test planning powers to restrict food retailers that do not offer healthier options and test a range of levers to incentivise existing retailers to improve their offer, whilst supporting elected members and community grassroots movements.
Progress
- Planning for Healthy Food Environments toolkit is in a draft stage and will be published in Food Active website imminently
- C-19 recovery series commenced with two sessions completed
- Draft case study developed - ‘Pendle Elected Member Health and Wellbeing Champion Case Study‘ (see COTP page on LGA website, under blogs)
- Successful consultation with businesses in BwD on support needed for relaunch of R4H award
- Soft launch of ‘Max’s Not So Sweet Dream’ at the Kind to Teeth Parent Champions training in Blackburn with Darwen. Copy of book delivered to 56 schools and will have a reading by an actor at 20 of the schools, supported by a local dental professional
- Published #GetsHangry toolkit on Food Active website
- Provided £3k stipend to districts to design and deploy their own projects that support trailblazer aims/objectives
Challenges
- Differences in council sign-off structures has delayed ratification of Joint Planners Agreement
- Businesses struggle to attend events due to capacity/availability
- Working virtually with communities means it is more difficult to engage
- Limited council capacity
Learnings
- Structures/processes vary across districts regarding sign-off & endorsement of key documents
- Visiting businesses independently has proved to be a good way of engaging so far although it can be time consuming
- Being able to work face-to-face with young people allowed for meaningful partnerships/projects to be developed
- Tagging other local organisations on social media helped increase HPHF programme reach
Next steps
- Continue to work on sign off of the Joint Planners Agreement
- Planning for healthy food environments symposium toolkit in development - disseminating planning and working on publishing toolkit
- Deep dive journal article for ‘Health and Place’
- Connect with relevant funding, e.g. Levelling Up funding and how this relates to wider determinants of health (e.g., safe and active travel routes)
- Hosting 1-1’s with key Elected Members to understand how the project can support them in the final 6 months of the programme
- Run pilot discount voucher scheme, discounting healthier items on the menu by £1.50 with 3-4 businesses
- Continuing to support councils in adopting the Healthy Weight Declaration