Two important reports tabled at Council Meeting

Good Food For All: Food Strategy 2019-2022 

Ballarat City Council was presented with a report detailing the work completed as part of the Good Food for All: Food Strategy 2019-2022 at its February Council Meeting.  

The Strategy had three priority areas: 

1. Increase access to and promotion of safe and nutritious food.  

2. Support a sustainable local food system.  

3. Celebrate a vibrant, inclusive food culture.  

Some key results from the Strategy included the;  

• Development of the “Eat Well Feel Good” branding in conjunction with Ballarat Community Health, which is in use at Selkirk Stadium and Eureka Pool.  

• Provided composting products to 14 schools for their food gardens.  

• Celebrating culturally diverse foods through Harmony Fest. 

Healthy food access is vital for the social and physical wellbeing of the Ballarat community.  

City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Amy Johnson said she's grateful to the staff for their work on the strategy and acknowledges there is still a long way to go.  

“I'm incredibly impressed with what our staff have achieved in such a short time and I'm also conscious that there's still much work to be done,” she said. 

The impact that food and diet have on the developing brain of a child shouldn't be underestimated. In line with this, we've coordinated dieticians to attend our supported playgroups to talk about nutrition and to share healthy meal ideas. 

Health and Wellbeing Plan Implementation Report  

At the February meeting, Councillors were also presented with the first-year report on the actions of the Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021 – 2031.  

The ten-year plan has six health priority areas;  

1. Tackling climate change and its impact on health.  

2. Preventing all forms of violence. 

3. Increasing healthy eating.  

4. Increasing active living.  

5. Improving mental wellbeing. 

6. Reducing harm from smoking, gambling, alcohol and other drugs.  

The plan is a high level document which has assisted the development of more specific plans and strategies within the Community Wellbeing division, including the recently adopted Inclusion Framework.  

The progress of the report was also reported to the Department of Health and Human Services late last year.  

Cr Johnson said it is great to see many important items are highlighted in this report.  

“We are much more aware now how interconnected our mental health and wellbeing is with other areas of our lives, and it is wonderful to see improving mental health and wellbeing as a priority area of the report,” she said.