Renfrewshire Council has been urged to investigate whether vacant and derelict land could be used for community projects growing food for people struggling to afford it.
Councillor Andy Steel called for officers to examine employability, environmental and land regeneration funding to help get projects started sooner under Renfrewshire’s Good Food Nation programme.
He made the call at the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-committee meeting, held online on Wednesday 2nd September 2026.
Earlier in the meeting, Connected Communities Manager Annabelle Walter warned that financial pressures had become a lasting problem for many families.
She said: “It shows really clearly that the cost of living crisis is no longer a crisis. It’s a permanent reality for a lot of households.”
Councillor Steel said: “People going hungry is obscene in a decent society.
“I am really interested in that, and I would love to see it pushed further, faster and stronger at a local authority level.”
He asked whether employability funding could pay for staff working on food-growing projects and whether green funding could be used because locally grown food would reduce food miles and carbon emissions.
He added: “Is there a possibility of using vacant and derelict land funding to try to identify places that could be used to provide food for people who do not have enough food?
“It is unbelievable that we are sitting here and not even discussing this. However, since we are where we are, I am keen, like Councillor Clark’s point about energy, to push as hard as we can to use any available funding.”
Photo: Councillor Andy Steel
Photo Credit: Renfrewshire Council
Head of Policy and Partnerships Laura McIntyre agreed to investigate the available options.
She said: “I am absolutely happy to explore that, Councillor Steel.
“There is a network in place that supports our wider activity around fair food in Renfrewshire. It involves a number of partners and council services.
“As you mentioned, we are driving forward and trying to create more pace and look at some of the funding opportunities.”
She added: “I would be happy to go away and look at that to see whether there is any further opportunity, whether it is in terms of some of the funding streams that the council can access or whether it could be things such as community benefits or other things that we could work with local industry, for example.
“I am happy to explore that and bring an update to the next meeting—no problem at all.”
Sub-committee convener Councillor Jacqueline Cameron noted Councillor Steel’s longstanding interest in allotments and growing grounds. She said there could be barriers to establishing them but also highlighted the benefits of encouraging people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.
Councillor Steel said the projects could provide skills and knowledge as well as food.
He said: “You make a very good point, convener, because it is not just about the benefits of getting food into empty bellies, to use an emotive expression, but you are also teaching people basic gardening.
“You are maybe teaching them how to make a pot of soup for people who do not know, and that gets passed on down in generations.
“The benefits of doing this kind of thing are not just obvious and immediate. They can have longer-term benefits as well.”
Councillor Graeme Clark said similar schemes had also helped tackle isolation and improve wellbeing.
He said: “These projects down south, where people are growing their vegetables together, have been great for people’s mental health as well as providing food for them.”
The council report said Renfrewshire’s first Local Good Food Nation Plan is expected to be published by 1 April 2028.
Laura McIntyre said an update on possible funding opportunities would be brought to the sub-committee’s next meeting.