A Green Party Mayor has banned meat from menus at mayoral receptions in an attempt to be more “inclusive”.
Councillor Louis Stephen, who became the first Green mayor of the historically Conservative city of Worcester last year, offered colleagues solely plant-based alternatives.
He said: “Switching from meat reduces your carbon impact.
“Another of the advantages about plant-based food is that anyone can eat it: it doesn't matter whether you're Muslim or Jewish or Hindu.”
Councillor Louis Stephen, who became the first Green mayor of the historically Conservative city of Worcester last year, offered colleagues solely plant-based alternatives
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Stephen added: "I'm mindful of the gravity of the climate emergency, and as leader I think it's right to highlight the importance of all of us doing what we can to mitigate the seriousness of the emergency, by offering plant-based food."
It is traditional for Worcester’s Mayor to invite councillors to their parlour for refreshment.
The custom usually follows particularly long-winded council meetings.
Stephen’s change impacts six mayoral receptions a year but the wider policy for other events has not changed.
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However, ex-Mayor and Conservative Councillor Alan Amos labelled the move “discriminatory” against meat-eaters.
Amos triggered a debate at a full meeting of Worcester City Council on Tuesday after questioning the decision.
He claimed: "Certainly, when I was mayor, I would make sure there was an option for everybody, including vegetarians and vegans.
“We are not an equal, inclusive and diverse council if we do not provide a choice to everyone."
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Amos also asked: “Given that meat eaters are about 93 per cent of the population, and that rightly alternative provision is made for vegetarians and vegans, why has a decision been made to deny any choice for the 93 per cent at post-council receptions?”
Green Councillor Marjory Bisset, who serves as joint leader of the city council alongside Labour’s Lynn Denham, replied: “I do not think not being able to eat meat at a particular event is a diversity and equality issue.
“There are only six such meetings a year, is it really such an imposition to be deprived of meat on these six occasions?”
Denham added: "The choice of refreshments is the mayor's choice. It's not a council decision. When my husband was mayor he made sure bottled beer was available."
