Council wants to only serve vegan food at events

If a new food plan is approved, Calderdale Council will ditch meat and introduce a plant-based catering policy

A West Yorkshire council will only provide vegan food at its meetings and events if a new catering plan is approved.

Calderdale Council wants its menus to be entirely plant-based, with a preference for seasonal and non-processed foods.

The council adopted a climate change emergency policy in 2020, which included a commitment to using plant-based catering.

Senior councillors will be asked to recommend that the vegan food scheme is adopted at a meeting on 3 June.

The catering would be provided at mayor-making ceremonies and recruitment panels.

A briefing paper for Calderdale Council cabinet members argued that food production was responsible for a third of all greenhouse gases globally.

The report said such food emission figures needed to be considered in light of the council’s climate change policies.

Councillor Scott Patient said Calderdale Council should "lead by example"

The council has committed to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions as a local authority and a borough by 2038.

It declared a climate emergency in 2019 and adopted the Becoming a Climate Change Emergency Employer policy in March 2020, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The policy included an obligation by the council to use plant-based catering, as the greenhouse gases produced by meat and dairy products have the highest impact whereas plant-based foods have the lowest, the briefing paper said.

Councillor Scott Patient, Calderdale Council's cabinet member for climate action and housing, said: "Although the council doesn’t provide catering for events and meetings very often, we do think it’s important to lead by example.

"We want to encourage other partners and businesses to consider using locally sourced, seasonal fruit and vegetables to lower their own carbon impact."

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