What Works in the North East?
Initial findings from the fourth ‘What Works Here Inquiry’ for the Food Strategy.
9th March 2026
Initial findings from the fourth ‘What Works Here Inquiry’ for the Food Strategy.
9th March 2026
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is developing a new food strategy to ensure good food for everyone. The Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) was established in May 2025 to ensure citizen voices are at the heart of this strategy, bringing together 30 people from across the UK with lived experience and diverse perspectives on the food system.
The What Works Here Inquiries are a pioneering example of how citizen-led work can inform government policy. This report collates the CAC’s findings from the inquiry in the North East Combined Authority region, offering an analysis and deep understanding of place, as presented to them by local leaders.
