‘Come and try council buffet’
A city Conservative has called on Wearsiders to come and sample food provided for elected councillors for themselves as a row over spending rumbles on.
The Echo reported earlier this month how Liberal Democrat councillor Niall Hodson has called for the scrapping of a buffet for 75 elected officialsfollowingeachofthenine full Sunderland City Council meetings a year.
Now, leader of Sunderland’s Conservative party group, Coun Peter Wood, says members of the public can comealongthemselvestoview the next meeting and then enjoy some of the food and drink served up afterwards.
He argues that because of thetimespentatthemeetings, which often go on for several hours, it could be more costeffective for councillors to be provided with buffet food rather than claim it back on expenses.
He said: “The food after council meetings is not just for councillors. Council officers and those members of the public in the public gallery for the meeting also join councillors for a meal.”
“I would urge anyone interested to come along to the next council meeting - at 6pm on Wednesday, September 21 in the council chamber – and to partake of the food afterwards. ”
Leader of the council Paul Watson has said however that while any members of the public are welcome to observe the meeting, a councillor can invite specific people, such as a residentfromtheirward,tothe gathering and they may be can becateredforafterwards.
Coun Hodson has hit back at Coun Wood’s comments though, saying: “The suggestion from the local Conservativesthattaxpayersshouldpay for meals after council meetings in order to stop councillors claiming larger sums in food expenses beggars belief.”
“Councillors shouldn’t be provided with food after these meetings, nor should they be abletoclaimexpensesforfood just for turning up to do their job. It seems that both Labour and the Conservatives on Sunderland Council have formed an unholy alliance so they can keep wasting taxpayers money on food for themselves.”