Councillors' snacks could fall victim to cost-cutting

2:20pm Wednesday 3rd December 2008

Comments (14)   Have your say »

Councillors are to be deprived of sandwiches and cakes to cut costs during the credit crunch.

Treats could be off the menu at Worthing Borough Council meetings in the new year to save £1,500 annually.

The cost-cutting measures, which also include the possible closure of some public toilets, could be introduced in the 2009-10 budget to combat an expected shortfall.

Councillors have been told the shortfall is expected to be about £860,000 and the amount necessary to balance the books over the next three years will be about £2,226,000.

Paul Yallop, cabinet member for resources, said: “It is something I proposed as part of a review of our spending because we want to do all we can to protect services. We don’t want to be closing services if there is something we can do at the town hall to help prevent this.

“At the end of meetings, food is always left over anyway. When we work in offices we take our own food, so council meetings should be the same.”

The council has already voted one money-saving measure – buying up the mayor’s Skoda Superb. The lease on the threeyear- old car comes to an end at the end of the month and the authority will purchase the vehicle for about £4,500, resulting in an annual saving of £2,700.

Coun Yallop said: “We have voted to buy the Skoda because it will save a substantial amount of cash.

“It would be cheaper to buy the car because it is used to transport the mayor to between ten and 20 functions a week.

“We have to look at every possible cost-cutting measure at the town hall to show the public we are doing all we can during these tough times.”

Councillors could also vote to shut public toilets at the northern section of George V Avenue, Worthing, and those at the Pond Lane recreation ground in Durrington.

By closing the loos, the authority would save £22,000 a year.

It is possible the council would then sell the buildings to developers.

The meeting to discuss possible savings takes place next month and the budget will be decided in February.

What do you think of the council's cost-cutting measures? Tell us below.