Council's vegan lunches 'do not promote sustainability'

Councillors voted to introduce the vegan meals in 2021

Vegan meals bought in by a council for meetings “do not promote sustainability” or follow its own policies, a councillor has claimed.

Oxfordshire County Council has only served plant-based meals at events in an effort to tackle climate change, including at a monthly council meetings, since 2021.

County farmers, including TV personality and columnist Jeremy Clarkson, visited the authority’s HQ in March 2022 to make their opposition known.

Bethia Thomas, from the council’s ruling Liberal Democrat group, said the meals initially “caused a lot of controversy”, have “continued to spark comment” and arrangements should be changed.

While she said she was “very happy to have a meal of any sort provided for me”, Thomas said the council should “rethink our existing catering policy and consider different options” to further support Oxfordshire farmers.

About three-quarters of Oxfordshire’s land is used for farming, according to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

Council leader Liz Leffman said she has asked for the authority’s facilities management team to “review the current arrangements for full council lunches”.

She said the meals are currently provided by a Kidlington-based company and that the council regularly uses other local firms for other events.

A picture of Liz Leffman and Jeremy Clarkson with other people stood outside County Hall in Oxford.

Council leader Liz Leffman (second left) and Jeremy Clarkson (right) discussed the vegan lunches back in 2022

“Sometimes it’s not always possible to have food produced only in the county. We may have to look further afield,” she added.

“But it’s really important for us to support our local farmers and do everything we can to make sure that what we consume in this council is sourced as locally as possible.”

Leffman has asked officers to see if the current arrangements tally with the Oxfordshire Food Strategy, which Thomas said the lunches do not “wholly reflect”.

As part of that, authorities should ensure that “healthy, sustainable and culturally appropriate food is affordable and accessible for everyone”.

They should also seek to cut down food waste, boost local food businesses and ensure “more locally produced sustainable food is bought and consumed locally”.