Sustain Good Food Local
The South West ADPH network has collectively engaged in the Good Food Local Self‑Assessment, demonstrating a shared commitment to building healthier, fairer and more sustainable local food systems.
All South West local authorities have completed the Sustain Good Food Local Benchmarking Tool, achieving a 100% regional completion rate. This milestone reflects strong leadership and collaboration across the region, and a collective ambition to strengthen how food policy, practice and partnerships contribute to improved public health outcomes.
Developed by Sustain, the Good Food Local tool supports councils to assess their progress and prioritise action across the local food system. It recognises the influence local authorities have in shaping food environments that reduce food poverty, improve diet‑related health, support local economies and protect the environment.
The self‑assessment explores activity and maturity across five thematic areas:
- Food poverty, diet‑related ill health and access to affordable healthy food
- Sustainability and local food production
- Local food economy and procurement
- Public awareness, skills and community action
- Partnership working, strategy and governance
Completion of the tool has enabled each authority to identify strengths, gaps and opportunities for further development, while also contributing to a regional picture of progress and need.
Sustain is currently analysing the South West returns and has already identified strong and innovative practice across all five themes. Initial regional trends have been shared with Directors of Public Health, and several case studies of excellence have been proposed to support shared learning within the region and beyond. A regional Good Food Local report is in development, which will provide deeper thematic insights and highlight opportunities for local authorities to accelerate progress through targeted action.
Alongside the self‑assessment process, several South West‑focused Good Food Local resources have now been published by Sustain, helping to showcase the region’s collective progress:
