Decision details

Matter for Decision

The plant-based food motion passed at full Council in May 2022, required officers to:

      i.         Explore a wide variety of catering options for civic events (including consideration of social enterprises) and bring a costed report of fully plant-based catering options for civic events to a future Environment and Community Scrutiny Committee.

    ii.         Investigate the practicalities of using civic events to promote and showcase plant-based food options, alongside displayed information about the climate benefits and relative cost of different protein/food sources.

 

Following the motion, the Officer’s report provided a detailed, costed assessment of fully plant-based catering options and part plant-based options which could be served at future civic events.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Open Spaces, Food Justice and Community Development

Agreed:

      i.         All future civic events will promote plant-based food by always providing some plant-based food options and plant-based milks as standard (where reasonably possible).

    ii.         ‘Catering at Annual Full Council meeting in 2023 will consist of 75% plant-based options. This will increase to 100% plant-based in 2024, providing that the majority of plant-based choices are consumed at events and that suppliers can fulfil this requirement and at the same cost as non-plant based foods.’

   iii.         Catering at all other civic events in 2023 (apart from the Annual Full Council meeting) will consist of 25% plant-based options with the remaining 75% made up of vegetarian and meat and dairy options. This will increase to 50% plant-based options in 2024, 75% in 2025, and 100% in 2026, providing that the majority of plant-based choices are consumed at events and that suppliers can fulfil this requirement and at the same cost as non-plant based foods.

  iv.         The Council will no longer procure and serve beef and lamb at civic events due to their reported impact on greenhouse gas emissions and will reduce the amount of pork procured for civic events.

    v.         The Council will endeavour to procure services from social enterprises for civic events, providing that they are available and can offer the services required.

  vi.         The Council will use the Plant-Based Foods Association definition of plant-based food: foods made from plants that contain no animal derived ingredients.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Climate Change Officer.

 

The Climate Change Officer said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         The Council would keep advertising/promoting the reasons why it would provide plant based food at events ie trying to lower the Council’s carbon footprint.

    ii.         Officers would monitor the amount of food eaten at events to ascertain the take up of plant based food (compared to other types) and seek comments from delegates.

   iii.         Plant based food would be introduced in a phased approach so people could become used to it. The Council did not want to contribute to food waste by providing food event delegates did not wish to eat.

  iv.         Food providers were legally obliged to clearly label food, be mindful of food allergies and avoid contamination of food. Therefore it was not practicable to mix plant based food in with other types so people would eat it without noticing it was plant based food instead of meat/dairy etc.

 

Councillors requested a change to the recommendation in the Officer’s report (amendment shown as bold text):

 

Proposer: Councillor Holloway

Seconder: Councillor Pounds

 

‘Catering at Annual Full Council meeting in 2023 will consist of 75% 50% plant-based options. This will increase to 100% 75% plant-based in 2024, and 100% plant-based in 2025, providing that the majority of plant-based choices are consumed at events and that suppliers can fulfil this requirement and at the same cost as non-plant based foods.’

 

The Committee unanimously approved this amended recommendation.

 

Councillors requested a change to the recommendation in the Officer’s report (amendment shown as bold text):

 

Proposer: Councillor Copley

Seconder: Councillor Hauk

 

‘Catering at Annual Full Council meeting in 2023 will consist of 100% 75% 50% plant-based options. This will increase to 100% 75% plant-based in 2024, and 100% plant-based in 2025, providing that the majority of plant-based choices are consumed at events and that suppliers can fulfil this requirement and at the same cost as non-plant based foods.’

 

The amendment was lost by 4 votes to 3.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendation as originally amended.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.