Unstunned halal meat ban in schools on hold
EMMA CURRY
PLANS to ban unstunned halal meat in Lancashire schools have been put on hold.
Lancashire county councillors voted to ban the provision of halal beef and lamb to schools which had not been stunned before being killed.
The council supplies meat to 27 schools across the county, and all councillors were able to vote on the matter on October 26.
The proposal was led by Conservative leader of the council, Geoff Driver, and the vote was 41 to 24 in favour of the ban, with 15 abstentions.
However the Lancashire Council of Mosques (LCM) has now called for a judicial review, halting the plans.
The plans, which would have banned unstunned halal meat – with the exemption of poultry – would have come into effect in January, but now a consultation will have to be held before anything further can go ahead.
Coun Driver said: “We are continuing to provide Halal meat under the terms of the current contract arrangements while we move to a wider consultation with all interested parties to inform future policy.”
A spokesman for the county council explained: “There is not yet a timeframe for when the consultation will he held, how long it will be, or if and when any further decisions will be taken, as we can’t preempt how people might respond to the consultation.” COLLEGE students have designed a winning poster to showcase British values.
Students from Accrington and Rossendale College produced entries from courses including Hairdressing, Health and Social Care, Early Years, Sport, Media, Foundations Learning and the Motor Vehicle course.
Charlotte Scheffmann, assistant principal, said: “The competition was chosen as a fun way of emphasising the importance of British values which we define as democracy, the rule of law, tolerance of different faiths and beliefs, and individual liberty and mutual respect.
“These are all things which we teach and live by at Accrington and Rossendale College.”
The judges picked the poster from each area that best represented British values, before choosing an overall winner.
Each poster chosen was displayed in the appropriate curriculum area so that students could see their work displayed.
The overall winning group was Level 1 Motor Vehicle, and the students will now get to enjoy lunch in the Roots Restaurant in celebration.