Barking and Dagenham Council is facing mounting pressure to address the interconnected crises of obesity and food insecurity, as highlighted in a recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.
Councillors raised concerns about the rising cost of living and its impact on residents' ability to afford food, with one report indicating that 20.1% of residents have experienced hunger due to affordability issues. Beyond affordability, primary drivers of food insecurity identified include challenges with access to food, a lack of preventative support, system gaps and duplication in food provision, and limited access to healthy and culturally appropriate food, as outlined in the Good Food Plan
.
Councillor Moin Quadri questioned the council's long-term strategies for tackling food insecurity and supporting employment. The council's B&D Works
service offers tailored support through employment assistance and financial guidance, with a renewed focus on residents facing multiple barriers. Other initiatives include the New Money and Debt Offer and Family Financial Resilience Partnership
for early triage and guidance, promoting the London Living Wage in contracts, and inclusive business practices. The East London Trailblazer programme is also piloting innovation in employment support.
The impending end of the Household Support Fund in March 2027 was also a point of discussion. This fund, referred to as the Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF), is a three-year settlement providing a critical opportunity to move away from short-term crisis responses towards more preventative support.
The Fair Futures Board plays a key role in ensuring this funding is used strategically to fill system gaps and reduce duplication. While the report does not explicitly detail the projected impacts of the fund ending, it underscores its importance in shifting towards preventative measures.
Councillor Phil Waker voiced concerns about obesity rates, noting a lack of data on related issues. The council's approach to combating obesity includes several initiatives: a Healthy Weight Programme
commissioned to develop a new approach and coordinate local efforts; the development of the Barking and Dagenham Food Action Plan
; and Barking and Dagenham being selected as a Sport England-funded place partnership to address physical inactivity with a program to be rolled out in 2026-28. Furthermore, the council is prohibiting new hot food takeaways within 400m of schools and has implemented a 200m exclusion zone around schools to prohibit the advertisement of High Fat, Salt and Sugar foods. Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) are also seen as contributing to health by encouraging active travel and discouraging motor vehicle use.
The committee also delved into measures to mitigate issues such as fuel poverty. The council utilizes existing programs like the Cosy Homes scheme,
which has completed 2,000 installs of energy-saving measures. The Homes and Money Hub (HAM Hub),
though now closed, assisted with income maximisation and fuel debt management, with its functions being integrated into new offers. Targeted assistance from Council Tax Discretionary Funds has reduced bills for 1,147 low-income and vulnerable households. Improved energy efficiency is also a focus, as the Cosy Homes scheme directly addresses this by installing energy-saving measures.
The meeting also touched upon the council's work programme for 2026/27, with discussions indicating that future scrutiny would focus on key areas including Housing Regulator Readiness, BD Group, Fees & Charges Review, Social Housing, Corporate Plan Outcomes Framework Performance Report, and the CPZ Strategy and consultation process.
See the Public reports pack for Wednesday 09 September 2026 here.
