COUNCILLORS have agreed to grant a lease in a council-owned building to a food bank to help those affected by the cost of living crisis.

The new proposed premises for the Brighton and Hove City Mission’s food bank will incorporate a cafe and advice services, with the city council set to undertake work to understand the impacts of food poverty on different communities across the city - in particular asylum seekers and refugees.

Estimates quoted in a report to councillors revealed that at least 6,000 people in the city require access to food on a weekly basis, with 17 per cent of those being children.

Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “An astonishing number in Brighton and Hove are supported every week accessing food through community emergency food providers such as food banks.

“This, in the sixth richest country in the world, is a damning indictment of over a decade of Tory government.

“In the sight of such unfairness, we are rolling up our sleeves and doing all we can to help residents in need.

“We’ll provide a new home for City Mission which is one of the key frontline organisations helping with emergency food and doing this through leasing one of our buildings to them.

“This is one of the many things we are doing to support residents most in need to challenge the inequalities created by the government’s failure to deal with the cost of living crisis.”

A report by the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership last year revealed that single-parent families and people with mental health issues accessed emergency food services in the city more in comparison to the previous year.

Brighton and Hove City Mission’s food bank has been operating in the city for over twenty years and covers the largest geographical area in Brighton and Hove.

More than 350 volunteers work over 1,650 hours a week to provide emergency food across the city and tackle food poverty.

The council continues to offer support to residents through their community hub for food and other essentials. They can be contacted by phone on 01273 293117.