Council under fire on halal

KIRKLEES Council has come under renewed attack for serving nonstunned halal meat in its schools.

It has been accused of being “deficient” in its handling of the issue and of its “ongoing failure to be transparent with families and the wider public”.

In a deputation to a meeting of full council in Huddersfield Town Hall on Wednesday, Aleks Lukic, who set up an online petition calling for all meat served in the borough’s schools to be stunned before slaughter, said the authority should have issued an immediate apology to local families concerned about the issue. He also provided advice enabling them to make informed choices.

Mr Lukic, added: “This council should also have immediately considered supplying alternative choices of meat to those schools where only nonstunned meat is currently served, while evaluating the case for stopping the supply of non-stunned meat altogether.”

Mr Lukic said the petition, which attracted 7,000 signatures, was set up primarily to persuade the council to change its policy and uphold welfare standards during slaughter.

Speaking after the meeting he said the petition was a response to concerns that the method of slaughtering still-conscious animals by cutting their throats is inhumane.

He denied it was about stirring up anti-Muslim tensions.

He said: “It is crucially important to oppose racial and religious hatred, but demonising citizens who raise legitimate concerns will only cause further divisions between communities.

“This petition is clear that while everyone has the right to observe and practice their religion in a free society, Kirklees Council has a duty to treat animals in a more humane way.”

The council is to debate the issue on January 16.

Of the 196 schools in Kirklees, 167 receive a catering service from the council.