BCP Council has been commended by The Vegan Society as one of the top authorities in the UK for catering for vegans.
The council was one of 19 local authorities nationwide that the society categories as being “green”, joining Oxfordshire County Council which is strictly vegan.
FOI requests were sent to councils across the UK by the society asking whether authorities saw veganism as a “protected characteristic in food provision”.
It also asked if councils served vegan options as standard and whether it has meat and dairy reduction plans.
Following the FOI, BCP Council was considered to have taken “demonstrable steps to be inclusive of veganism and to address meat and dairy consumption” to the society.
The FOI said more than two-thirds of its canteen options are vegan and the council also offers “great tasting and attractive vegetarian and vegan options”.
Cllr Andy Martin, portfolio holder for customer, communications and culture, said: “We are very pleased to be listed in this report as among the top councils offering the best catering for vegans.
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“We believe this reflects our commitment to provide a good choice of food options for our employees, residents and visitors.”
Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society, added: “It’s fantastic to see some councils – including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council – leading the way and taking strong steps to include vegans and acknowledge the urgency of the climate crisis.
“However, for many local authorities there is still a long way to go and we hope our report will be a useful tool to help people to hold their local areas to account and push for more sustainable options.
Read more: Vegetarian menu ditched by council after diners demand meat
“Ensuring that all public sector menus provide a 100 per cent plant-based option every day is a crucial step towards vegan-inclusion across the UK and to encourage the transition to a more sustainable and healthier food system for everyone.”
A council spokeswoman said that after just three months of trading, the “biggest request” from customers was a meat option.
It now sells sausage rolls.
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