Governance & Policy Landscape
As shown in the diagram, there are multiple stakeholders across the Gloucestershire food system, bringing together different areas of focus and expertise. Our purpose is to ensure better connection and communication between these stakeholders.
Inevitably, there is a very wide range of central and local government policies and activities which impact on Gloucestershire’s food and farming system. Just to name a few, these include business and farming support; social, environmental and public health policy; public health; public procurement for schools and other institutions, and the planning system.
In total, 15 national departments and public bodies have relevant responsibilities, and then locally, there is the County Council, 6 district councils and the South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority (which combines both county and district councils’ responsibilities).
In addition, we have public bodies like the Gloucestershire Local Economic Partnership (GFirst LEP), the Cotswold National Landscape and Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
We also benefit from leading research institutes whose reports influence policymakers, like the Royal Agricultural College, Hartpury University, the Countryside and Community Research Institute at the University of Gloucestershire, and Campden BRI. There is also power in community groups lobbying government.
The opportunity to join up these conversations is what this partner network seeks to achieve.