Struggling council holds event on ‘queering nutrition’

A council that became the subject of protests over proposed budget cuts has held an event on “Queering Nutrition”.

The event led by Birmingham’s Public Health Division explored the “interaction between the LGBTQ+ community and our food system”.

It was held as part of Birmingham city council’s LGBTQ+ History Month Health Conference.

Upcoming sessions will cover “approaches to care for non-binary and gender diverse individuals with dementia”, delivered by Newman University through an “intersectional lens”, as well as “Alternative Cervical Screening for Marginalised Groups”, and “inclusive language in healthcare settings”, led by Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The 21-session programme comes as leaders formulate flans to plug a £300 million funding gap.

Gary Sambrook, Conservative MP for Birmingham, Northfield, said: “Since the Council’s bankruptcy was announced I’ve had countless meetings with community groups, people who rely on council services and with councillors about the future of libraries and youth services ... I want to see money being spent wisely and directed at those in need. Not spending on projects which make well paid officials feel better about themselves.”

Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP and leader of Nottinghamshire county council, added: “I’m the first person to acknowledge that local government is under huge pressure ... But I lose sympathy in some of these areas where they’ve gone bankrupt and they’ve so visibly wasted money on absolute nonsense. Some of these things are pet projects or wokery and just in design to make the officers feel like they’re lovely people.”

Last year The Telegraph reported on Birmingham’s “Food Revolution Conference”, in which Dr Justin Varney, the director of public health, warned: “Food is really important to all of us… we can’t survive without eating”. More recently the department was recruiting for a £25,119 – £31,364 pa support officer “to address health inequalities” including LGBT+ communities.

A spokesman for Birmingham city council said its Public Health Division was “facilitating a range of webinars for LGBT+ History Month” but insisted it was a “zero-cost endeavour”.