North East Lincolnshire Council is set to develop an action plan to tackle food poverty, with the plan now expected in early 2026 due to delays since its initial proposal in March 2023. Councillor Nicola Aisthorpe highlighted that the three-year delay has prolonged hardships for residents facing food insecurity.
To inform the forthcoming plan, the council produced a 36-page food poverty assessment report, which was recently reviewed by councillors. The report included a survey of 112 users of We Are One Foodbank and We Are One Food Pantry in Grimsby. Findings indicated that roughly two-thirds of respondents or their household members had a physical or mental health condition and lived in rented accommodation through housing associations, the council, or private landlords. Common reasons for seeking food assistance were rising costs of essentials and insufficient income.
The assessment also incorporated data from Connect NEL, which provides food vouchers and referrals to food banks. Between January 2024 and January 2025, the East Marsh, West Marsh, and South wards recorded the highest referral rates, reflecting concentrated areas of food insecurity in the borough.
Councillors at the recent Communities Scrutiny Panel meeting explored measures to improve access to healthy food for residents. Ideas included introducing mobile shops to reach people who are unable to visit affordable food outlets during working hours, aiming to make nutritious food more accessible across the community.
