INVERCLYDE Council looks set to try again to achieve Fair Trade status for the area after a previous effort fizzled out.

Councillors on the Policy and Resources Committee are being asked to approve a plan to resume work towards the status.

A report to the committee states that six years ago a Fair Trade Steering Group was started in the area and the council became involved in it but that, over time, the “externally convened” group ceased to meet and “momentum in the area of Fair Trade was lost.”

A number of steps are required for the status to be achieved. These include the council passing a resolution supporting Fair Trade and agreeing to serve Fair Trade tea and coffee at its meetings and in its offices and canteens; a range of Fair Trade products should be readily available in the area’s shops and local cafes/catering establishments; Fair Trade products should be used by a number of local work places and community organisations; and the council should convene a local Fair Trade steering group to ensure continued commitment to Fair Trade Zone status.

The report states: “A number of these actions are already in place and therefore it could be a relatively simple task for the council to achieve Fair Trade Zone status. However the real value in achieving Fair Trading Zone status would be to greatly increase the levels of awareness and understanding within Inverclyde of the Fair Trade agenda and as such it is proposed that an action plan involving education, publicity and other awareness raising proposals be developed.

“Becoming a Fair Trade Zone would demonstrate that the council, local organisations and businesses across Inverclyde are committed to supporting the Fair Trade agenda and helping disadvantaged producers in developing countries to get a fair deal. It is therefore proposed that the council reaffirms its commitment to Fair Trade and takes a lead role in progressing the actions required to achieve Fair Trade Zone status for Inverclyde."

The committee meets on Tuesday.