Sustainability officer Ruth Booker drinking Cafedirect Fairtrade coffee at County Hall County councillors have voted to become a 'fairtrade' authority.

Contracts for supplying tea, coffee, sugar and chocolate sold and served in county council buildings will be reviewed and, in future, sourced from suppliers recognised for trading fairly with Third World farmers.

Local schools are also set to benefit with an imminent review of the county's school meals service expected to include provision for more locally produced food on menus.

The Fairtrade brand mark is an independent consumer label awarded by the charity Fairtrade Foundation.

It appears on UK products as a guarantee that producers in developing countries have been given a decent deal for their produce.

County Hall follows in the footsteps of Oxford City Council and Oxford Brookes University.

County council sustainability officer Ruth Booker said current catering arrangements were incon- sistent, with staff booking food orders through any company they choose.

And caterers are not required to meet set criteria like supplying seasonal or locally produced food -- but all that will now change.

County councillor Roger Belson, cabinet member for sustainable development, said: "This is good news -- the county council must be seen to fulfil its requirements of being a fairtrade operative.

"The tea and coffee will definitely taste better because it will sit better with our consciences."

Each year the county council spends upwards of £8,000 supplying tea, coffee and other liquid refreshments to councillors at meetings.