Councillors in row over vegan-only food plan for their meals

MEMBERS of Oxfordshire County Council are set to be served only vegan food at official meals.

The ruling Liberal Democrat and Green Alliance says the move is designed to raise awareness that we should all be eating less meat and dairy produce.

But an opposition Conservative councillor has said that the message should not be “rammed down throats”.

Green Party councillor Ian Middleton, who is a vegan, is proposing that food provided at council-catered events should be entirely plant-based.

His motion says the Government has advised that meat and dairy consumption should be reduced by a fifth and that the county council should lead the way in promoting plant-based foods.

The motion is set to be discussed at the council’s meeting in December.

Cllr Middleton said it had solid support from his Lib-Dem and Green colleagues. He said: “There’s no intention to attack farmers. The motion is supportive of farming, particularly smaller farms.

“We need to get people to reduce consumption of meat. Meals are provided to council six times a year. I felt that we should be embracing the opportunity to set an example and send the message out.

“I’d have thought that anyone with a genuine concern about the future of the ecosphere would see that as a pretty modest sacrifice for the sake of future generations.

“I’m not suggesting that all councillors should become vegan but just that on those occasions food provided by the council should be plant-based. Councillors who don’t want to eat it don’t have to eat in the council chamber.”

Councillor David Bartholomew, a Conservative who represents Sonning Common, said: “The Conservative opposition believes that veganism is a choice that should be respected but it is not something that should be rammed down the throats of vegetarians and meat-eaters and that, ironically, a carrot not a stick approach should be employed.”

Stefan Gawrysiak, county councillor for Henley, said: “If the motion comes back and it’s not amended, I will vote against it.

“For the council to actually force all catering to become plant-based is wrong. It has got to be gradual.”

Cllr Bartholemew also accused the ruling administration of simultaneously trying to ban and promote dairy products.

He said he was “amazed” to receive an invitation from John Howson, the Liberal Democrat chairman of the council, inviting him and others to a Christmas lunch at a mixed farm with its own micro-dairy.

Councillor Howson offered lunch and a tour of FarmED in the Cotswolds, a not-for-profit business which encourages sustainable farming.

Cllr Middleton said: “FarmED are looking to get the message across to people about how modern farming operates. They’re not practising intensive farming. There’s no hypocrisy here.”

Cllr Howson said: “As chair of the council, I arrange a number of events for councillors and the public.

“This event is to a farm that has as its key purpose the aim of inspiring people to build sustainable farming and food systems. Those who attend can debate the issues raised in the motion with the team at FarmED.”

Cllr Gawrysiak said: “Councillor Howson is an excellent chair of the council and the farm visit is one of the ways he is raising money for his causes.”