Taxpayers in Aberdeen are paying £17,000 to cover councillors’ refreshments at the town house.
The SNP yesterday put forward a proposal for the annual fee for teas and coffees in the member’s lounge to be scrapped, calling for councillors to pay for their own sundries.
The matter came up during a short debate over the Common Good Fund at the crunch budget meeting.
The SNP also put forward a controversial £60,000 cut to the Hogmanay celebrations funding.
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill instead called for a more modest £6,000 catering cut, while the ruling administration vowed to slash entertainment for the disabled and elderly by £165,000 and increasing funding elsewhere.
Mr Yuill said that when looking at the budget, he had found that tea and coffee cost £17 a day for members which “should be enough for 430 members not 43”.
SNP group leader Jackie Dunbar said: “The Common Good Fund is meant to go towards projects that will benefit the whole city improving people’s lives and adding to the city’s culture, instead it’s being wasted away on overpriced perks for councillors.”
However, the administration’s motion was voted through.
Councillors vote for taxpayers to keep paying for their tea and coffee amidst multi million pound cuts
