CROYDON IN TOP TEN LONDON BOROUGHS FOR GOOD FOOD INITIATIVES
Successful initiatives which help residents to adopt a healthier attitude toward cooking, growing and eating good food have helped Croydon earn a ‘top ten’ place in the latest Good Food for London 2016 report.
The report, published by London Food Link, part of the national charity Sustain – an alliance of food and farming organisations – compiles an annual league table on work being done in the capital to improve food in relation to health, poverty, growing spaces, healthy eating and entrepreneurship.
It is deemed an effective calling card to help boroughs, policy makers, businesses and Londoners better understand how food affects almost every area of their work.
London boroughs are rated according to their action on 11 ‘good food’ measures. Croydon is ranked in the top 10 in recognition of the following initiatives undertaken to improve residents’ health and well-being.
Stage two baby-friendly accreditation – encouraging breastfeeding to ensure the best start in life for infants.
Promotion of food growing in the community, schools and in planning policy.
Being an accredited Living Wage borough and promoting the Living Wage locally.
Being a Fairtrade borough.
Serving sustainable fish in primary schools.
Serving cage-free eggs.
Running a healthier catering initiative.
Promoting access to healthy food in a local development plan.
Running a food partnership and being a member of the Sustainable Food Cities Network.
Changing food culture in some schools via Food for Life and Healthy Schools London schemes.
Good Food for London is supported by the Greater London Authority and partner organisations that run schemes promoting various aspects of ‘good food’, from community food-growing and school food standards, to animal welfare, sustainable fish, fair pay and fair trade.
Croydon’s Food Flagship programme is featured in the report as an example of best practice. The flagship is a partnership with local residents, communities and businesses to improve cooking and food-growing skills and helping residents understand the importance of a balanced, nutritious diet in preventing obesity.
Of the area’s other four boroughs Lewisham came fourth (77 per cent); Lambeth 11th (58 pc); Southwark 26th (39 pc) and Bromley 32nd out of 33 (16pc).
To download the report please go to: www.sustainweb.org/londonfoodlink/goodfoodforlondon2016/ (Source: Croydon council press release)
LONDONERS FORK OUT “EYEWATERING” £5 MILLION FOR POLICING FOOTBALL MATCHES
Taxpayers handed over more than £5 million to police London’s football matches last season, new figures show.
In response to a Mayor’s question from Labour London Assembly member Andrew Dismore, Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that the money spent last season was enough to fund an additional 93 officers on London’s streets.
Mr Dismore urged the Home Secretary to push for a change in the law to ensure the Metropolitan Police can recoup the true cost of policing football matches.
In the 2015/16 season, £5,019,992 was the net cost of deploying officers to football club related operations in London.
In 2012, the High Court ruled that clubs can only be charged for policing inside the stadiums or on their land. There is no legal right to recover costs to the Met for managing travelling supporters or policing incidents that occur outside the ground.
Andrew Dismore said the cost of policing football matches was placing a “big strain on Met resources”.
Figures set out in response to a further question from Mr Dismore reveal than an average of 136 officers have been deployed to West Ham home games since the club moved to the new London Stadium.
West Ham’s home game against London rivals Chelsea in October saw 484 officers deployed.
Mr Dismore, urging clubs to “dig deep” and repay all of their policing costs, said: “It is outrageous that clubs who can afford to pay their players thousands upon thousands of pounds a week expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill for anything that happens outside their ground.
“This is placing a big strain on Met resources and it’s time for clubs to dig deep. They are depriving London of nearly 100 extra officers a year, and it’s quite clear the law needs to change.
“Home Secretary Amber Rudd should urgently intervene to ensure that Londoners are not left footing the eye watering bill for these super rich clubs.”
Note: £5,019,992 was the net cost of deploying officers to football club related operations in London during the 2015/16 season. (Source: GLA Labour party press release)
