Benefits to Local Government

The Guide provides the tools to assist local governments to create or progress sustainable and resilient local food environments that support access and availability to safe and nutritious foods for the community.

Use this guide to plan practical actions to meet your local community needs, based on the best available evidence.

The Guide will enable you to:

• assess your Council’s current involvement within the local food environment
• plan and prioritise action to improve the local food environment, based on current needs and opportunities
• progress action on your Local Public Health Plan to address the healthy eating policy priority outlined in the State Public Health Plan
• start a conversation in your Council about its role in supporting healthy eating
• affirm current Council practices that relate to local food environments that support healthy eating
• work proactively with other internal and external stakeholders to implement effective and sustainable initiatives, e.g. use the evidence gathered in the Community Food Profile in grant submissions, project proposals, community and stakeholder engagement activities, and 
• enhance an existing, or establish a new, vision or commitment to the health and wellbeing of your local community.

Each local government is different, with varying levels of existing involvement within the local food environment. This Guide is designed for all local governments interested in evaluating and enhancing their current influence on their local food environment.