I.2 Local food producers are also dying. We lose on average 17,000 farmers per year. These are overwhelmingly the small and family farmers who face such low farm gate prices - often below the cost of production – with the result that they either intensify production or go bankrupt.

I.3 Both local high streets, and local food producers are being damaged by chains and large out-of-town superstores. These attract customers away from independent shops and overwhelmingly source their produce from abroad, and their services "in house".

I.4. The net result is that money is being drained out of the local economy and redirected towards just a few large farms or large businesses. We do not think this is progress.

I.5 Greens believes Real progress is a vibrant local economy, with locally sourced and organic produce being sold in thriving independent shops. We believe that having shops and services within close reach for all isn’t a luxury: it’s a necessity.

I.6 A Green local authority will implement the LIVE action plan: a 2 pronged action plan to promote local shops and local food., giving your area a Local Independent Vibrant Economy.

1.1 Chain superstores and edge-of-centre malls are killing local economies. Edge-of-centre superstores are drawing customers away from the High Streets to the outskirts of town. Chain supermarkets - in or out of the town centre - are forcing the closure of independent shops through their aggressive pricing tactics and brand familiarity.

1.2 Chains overwhelmingly source their produce from abroad, use "in house" services and delivery networks, and favour the larger producers. The net result of edge-of-town superstores and chain supermarkets is the same: money that could be circulating around myriad local shops and services instead circulates around a few large businesses.

1.3 Just one unsuitable out-of-town store can:

- Close down every village shop within a seven mile radius. (1)

- Generate £25,000 (2) of pollution damages per week (mainly through car trips).

- Lose a community 276 jobs . (3)

1.4 On the other hand, local, independent shops bring enormous social and economic benefits to the community. Money spent in a high street circulates around the local economy and generate more jobs, for example 81 shops in Suffolk employed 548 people (4) and sourced food from 295 local producers.

1.5 Local authorities often grant planning permission to superstores and edge-of-centre malls because they mistakenly believe that they are good for the economy, or because the superstores offer vast amounts of money towards, for example, a new library in return for planning permission.

1.6 A Green local authority will make a difference. We will reject unsuitable supermarkets and out-of-town shopping developments. We will promote local, independent shops and services.

A Green local authority will:

Get strategic

• Conduct comprehensive local retail audits, to assess the health of the local economy. (5)
• Conduct supermarket impact assessments.
• Draw up a "maximise local" plan.

• Refuse to accept financial "sweeteners" from large companies, in return for planning permission. (8)

2.1 Local farmers and producers are increasingly being cut out of the food chain. 75% of the grocery retail market is dominated by just 4 big supermarkets, who overwhelmingly source their food from abroad and who tend to favour big producers and processors.

2.2 Meanwhile EU procurement rules ban local authorities from favouring food from local sources over non-local sources.

2.3 Local food schemes - such as farmer's markets, local procurement, and organic box schemes - are overwhelmingly beneficial. The benefits are:

- £10.00 spent an organic box scheme will generate £24.00 for the local economy. £10.00 spent at a supermarket will generate just £14.00 for the local economy (9)

- A farmers market can generate 30% more for local business. (10)

- Local food travels shorter distances and creates less pollution.

- Local, organic school food schemes have doubled the school meal uptake(11).

- Local food is less processed.

2.4 Green local authorities will implement a range of creative "look to the local" schemes to rejuvenate the local economy and make healthy, local food the norm.

A Green local authority will:

• Fund and promote farmer’s markets. (12) Promote organic box schemes
• Encourage local allotments and community gardens schemes

• work around EU laws to procure local and organic food for hospitals and schools, including:

- proving that local and organic is "best value"

- putting environmental clauses in tendering contracts

- Buying lots of little contracts, not just sourcing from one big firm

• Make High Streets attractive to shoppers through progressive transport and "built environment" schemes.

2. Raven, H, Lang, T and Cumonteil, C. 1995. "Off our Trolleys? Food retailing and the hypermarket economy". pp 8 and 11. IPPR

3. What’s wrong with supermarkets?", Corporate Watch, 2003

4. See Cranbrook C. 1997. The Rural Economy and Supermarkets. Great Glemham, Suffolk

5. We will use a "Plugging the Leaks" survey designed by the New Economic Foundation which measures the amount of money each pound generates for the local economy, using the multiplier index.

See "Plugging the Leaks" a briefing by the New Economics Foundation at

6. Resisting new supermarkets on the basis that they undermine the local economy, can be justified with reference to Planning Policy Guidance Note 6: Town Centres and Retail Development (1996) paragraph 1.16, which states that proposals for new out-of-centre superstores should be judged not only on their likely impact on the vitality of town centres, but also on the impact on the rural economy. A recent survey by the Planning Policies Research Group has found that few planning authorities are using this tool, perhaps because there is no established methodology for measuring the impact on the rural economy. Any assessment of this should include the impact on local food producers; both those that sell directly to the public through farm shops and farmers' markets, and those who rely on local shops to sell their produce

We can also use assessment of environmental and heritage aspects.

See Directory for Local Campaigner: Chuckout Checkout at corporatewatch website

7. See above

8. Some examples: East Finchley residents and traders are fighting fiercely to save the High Road with its independent shops from destruction by a proposal for an oversized Waitrose supermarket. With about 150 parking places the supermarket would also suck trade from businesses in neighbouring Highgate and Muswell Hill. The offer of a new library has failed to win over residents who are happy with their existing one. In East Dulwich a large group of local people recently campaigned to prevent their independent shops, especially hardware and home furnishing businesses, being killed off by a proposal for a large Homebase DIY store. Campaigners insisted that the promised new football stadium and 5-aside football pitches would not make up for the damage to local shops, extra traffic and loss of green space.

See "Where have London’s local shops gone?", A report from the Green party Group on the London Assembly. Available on request

9. The New Economic Foundation has conducted research that measures the local economy multiplier of a local Organic box scheme. This showed that £10 spent in a local organic box scheme in Truro (Cornwall) generated £25 for the local economy, compared to approximately £14 generated if £10 was spent in a local supermarket. See "Plugging the Leaks" a briefing by the New Economics Foundation at

10. WHSmith and Debenhams in Winchester reported that during the Sunday morning farmer’s market, their takings were up by 30%. See National Association of Farmer’s Markets website.

11. The catering manager at St Peter Church of England Primary School, East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire

started to source her meat locally and food organically. The take up of these healthy school meals is now 80%, as opposed to the national average of 45%

12. Local authorities can be instrumental in setting up farmer’s markets, in an almost endless variety of ways, including signposting the markets, providing parking space, helping with traffic, procuring a suitable venue, promoting, funding, helping to set up the market

13. European procurement rules, which define local sourcing as an illegal barrier to free trade of foreign goods between member states, make it extremely difficult for Local Authorities to procure locally. However, there are a number of creative way to get around procurment laws which have been implemented by local bodies. They include:

1. Proving that local and organic food represents "Best Value" (a legitimate ground for tendering) See Powy’s Public Procurement Partnership’s " Public Procurement" report

2. Creating environmental tendering grounds that favour local produce

3. Including "local sourcing" provisions and clauses in agreements with larger contractors: i.e "secondhand" local sourcing

As East Anglia Food Network and South Gloucester county council have done