DUDLEY Council confirmed its ongoing commitment to the Fairtrade initiative at Monday’s full council meeting (December 2).

The council originally passed a resolution in July 2007 to support Fairtrade which helped Stourbridge in its successful bid to become a Faitrtrade town in 2010.

Since then the council has been working with supporters of Fairtrade across the borough and is now keen to step-up its commitment to the campaign to increase sales of Fairtrade products and is striving to achieve Fairtrade status for the whole borough.

Councillor Pete Lowe, Dudley Council’s deputy leader, said: “I’m really pleased to see this resolution passed. Supporting Fairtrade is a way of expressing our civic pride, supporting our local shops and traders and can make a real difference to the lives of producers around the world.

“I’m keen to see us take our support to the next level, taking practical steps within the council and working with local people to get the Faitrade message out there.”

The Fairtrade initiative aims to achieve better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

Fairtrade items available for purchase now range from sugar, bananas and chocolate to flowers, beer and sultanas.

For more information on Fairtrade visit www.fairtrade.org.uk