WINCHESTER must act to end hunger, the city's leading Labour councillor has said.

Hundreds of families in the district rely on volunteers for food, with 1,358 people served by Winchester Basics Bank in the first half of last year.

Cllr Janet Berry, Labour group leader at Winchester City Council, has urged civic chiefs to join a scheme coordinating local responses.

Sustainable Food Cities works with councils, charities, businesses and NGOs to help create a supply of affordable, healthy food for everyone.

Praising the "initiative, imagination and guts" of food bank volunteers, Cllr Berry said the city should bid for Sustainable Food City status and develop a strategy on hunger.

She told a meeting: "In recent surveys Winchester has been named as one of the best places to live in the country. At the same time, in the 12 months up to December 2014, Winchester Basics Bank, the food bank with its main outlet situated in the ward which I currently represent, the total number of clients provided with food there rose from 2,936 to 3,032.

"By encouraging the production and retail of locally grown food, local authorities can play a key role in addressing the lack of access to affordable food in deprived areas."

Focussing on food provision could help other areas including health, climate change and elderly isolation, Cllr Berry added.

Her motion was supported by Lib Dem group leader Cllr Lucille Thompson.

The issue was referred to the council's decision-making cabinet, with a report to be prepared in the next few weeks.