Catering for local councillors branded ‘extravagant’

FERMANAGH and Omagh councillors have voted to restore a full catering service to provide themselves meals before meetings, a move that has been branded an ‘extravagant’ use of ratepayers’ money.

Prior to Covid, councillors were provided meals before meetings, however this was brought to a halt by the move to virtual meetings during the pandemic. With meetings now returning to being held fully in-person, the council has confirmed to the ‘Herald the catering arrangements have been put back in place.

This was previously agreed by the councillors themselves earlier this year. The cost of this will be £10 per person per full meeting, of which there is at least one a month, and requires the attendance of the 40 members of the council. For committee meetings, of which there are usually around five per month and are made up 18 councillors each, the cost will be £7.50 per person.

The number of meetings can vary per month, depending on events and circumstances.

Cllr Roy Crawford, of the UUP, which opposed the recent District Rate increase when it was put to councillors, said he and his party colleagues were opposed to the reinstatement of the service.

“Certainly in its current form, I don’t think the council is in a position to be providing food for members for catering over and above what they had been doing, which is providing tea and sandwiches,” said Cllr Crawford. “I think with the current cost of living constraints we are in financially, even in local government, we can’t seen to be extravagant or to be living above our means.”

Cllr Crawford said, with the need to keep rates low, it was ‘counterproductive to then be seen to living the high life, from the public’s perspective’. He noted other councillors had voted to reinstate the service.

When the issue had come up for debate previously, it had been argued many councillors worked, and often did not have time to properly eat before attending evening meetings.

Cllr Crawford rejected this argument, stating ‘we can all plan our day and have an extra round of sandwiches in our lunchbox’, adding there were plenty of outlets in town where councillors could pick up hot food. He did note, however, he had been availing of the catering since it was reinstated.

“While it’s there, and people are encouraged to use it, that’s what I’ll do, but if it was taken away in the morning I wouldn’t miss it,” he said, adding he felt it was not a good use of the public’s money.