There was some confusion at a meeting of Falmouth Town Council this week when a discussion on whether vegans should have more menu options at civic events became quite heated.

Councillors had been asked whether they would approve the adoption of a Sustainable Food Policy put forward by the Grounds Facilities & Environmental Action Committee.

It was first suggested by Falmouth mayor Cllr Alan Rowe that the motion would mean splitting the options available on a menu 50/50 or 25/75 between vegan and meat choices.

However the 50/50 option prompted consternation among the carnivores in the council chamber who launched a passionate defence of their meat eating habits.

Farmer, Cllr Alan Jewell, said there was no way that 50% of people in this country were vegan and the council should reflect that.

“I think the percentage of people in this country that are vegan is the percentage we should be adopting,” he said. He thought it should be a 20% vegan option.

He said when he went to the “mayor’s do” some of the food wasn’t a lot to his liking all the meat pasties there were gone and a lot of vegetarian pasties were left which he did try but “didn’t hit the spot”.

Cllr Steve Eva said he thought there should absolutely be a vegan choice but he didn’t agree with 50/50 split as the majority of people aren’t vegan.

He said all the stuff left over at the mayor making was the vegan food and it was a waste.

“We shouldn’t be Big Brother on what people should eat,” he said.

Cllr Rowe told the meeting that the motion wasn’t saying that if there was an event the menu was going to be split 50/50, but just that vegans would have an equal amount of options to the meat eaters. He said that councillors were missing the point.

Cllr Debra Clegg warned that increasing vegan choice would increase the staff time needed, add complications and increase the cost.

Cllr Jayne Kirkham said the whole thing left her very confused.

By now Cllr Eva had had enough and he told meeting that he didn’t join the council to tell people what they can and can’t eat.

“We have more important things around this town to discuss than a menu setting out what people can eat at a council event,” he said.

“I think there’s nothing wrong with the old system where they send out invitations and on the bottom of it says any dietary needs let us know.

“It’s always worked up to now and why we need to bring in anything else I don’t know. I don’t want to cut down on meat, if it effects my health that’s my choice.”

He said he found the whole thing “ridiculous”.

When it was put to the vote the meat eaters won out, with councillors voting against the recommendation and deciding to keep things as they are.