Lib Dems complain about lack of Fair Trade produce

2.24.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 9th May 2008

At a meeting of Mid Devon District Council Cllr David Nation, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group, attacked a decision of the council some 6 or 7 years ago not to purchase only Fair Trade tea and coffee.

Cllr Nation said that the Council then watered down the proposal to require that alternatives to Fair Trade should always be available. He said "The consequences of this were apparent last Saturday at a Fun Day organised by the Council at Lords Meadow Leisure Centre in Crediton. There was no Fair Trade produce available. Coming from Crediton, which enjoys the status of a Fair Trade Town, I found this particularly unacceptable."

He added "There is only one way to address this issue; the only trade acceptable is Fair Trade. If an alternative is available, there is always the risk that people will not be challenged to change their habits or incidents like that last Saturday will occur. We should stock nothing but Fair Trade, which is perfectly good produce. Some while ago I learned that for a period, only Fair Trade was being served at our meetings because the purchasing officer was putting it into non Fair Trade jars! No-one noticed. The quality is good and other councils serve it. So should we."

After the meeting Cllr Nation said that there would almost certainly be fresh pressure put on the Council to stock only Fair Trade products.