Council to keep free meals
Published 26 Nov 2010 09:30
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CASH-STRAPPED councillors yesterday (Thursday) refused to support plans to scrap their own free meals - and then voted through £7.2million of cuts.
This followed council leader David Parker describing it as "the worst economic crisis this council has faced since the end of World War Two."
It followed an amendment to the budget proposals put forward by Berwickshire Councillor Donald Moffat.
Despite pleas from members of the opposition that Councillors should be seen to set an example when it comes to cutbacks, the Administration voted in favour of just a seven per cent reduction to the hospitality budget.
Councillor Moffat said: "It is recognised that all Scottish local authorities and the Scottish Government are facing unprecedented pressure on resources and notes that sacrifices are being called for from all the Council departments and staff to avoid having to make redundancies.
"I would ask that the Council recognises that the continuation of the practice of providing free lunches for all Councillors, at an estimated cost of £3,360 per annum, will be seen by Council Tax payers, Council employees and stakeholders as being wasteful and unjustifiable when all other employees do not enjoy similar privileges."
It was pointed out that despite national guidelines indicating that councillors would be entitled to claim an allowance of up to £12 per person per day, this new proposal would reduce this claim to less than £5.25 per claim.
But defending the decision to move for just a seven per cent reduction, councillor Parker said: "While the national guidelines do exist it should be noted there are very few circumstances when elected members actually claim their full amount. Spending £12 for a lunch is not a widespread issue and I know that councillors are not using their allowance inappropriately."
Reacting to this the SNP immediately responded. Tweeddale councillor Willie Archibald said: "The rejection today by the Administration at SBC of the SNP proposal to end free meals for councillors will doubtless infuriate electors across the Borders.
"At a time of cutbacks when jobs are at risk, the refusal of the Administration to give up free meals at council meetings is a poor example to give to Borders people.
Many councils across Scotland have ended this practice but it seems self-sacrifice is voted down by this Scottish Borders Council Administration."
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 26 Nov 10
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