A PEMBROKESHIRE County Councillor has called for an end to the free refreshments available to herself and her colleagues during training days and seminars.

Alison Tudor, councillor for Prendergast ward, Haverfordwest, sent a letter to the council leader David Simpson asking for an end to the free food and drink county councillors receive when they attend training days and other events at county hall.

Cllr Tudor also said she felt uneasy about being provided with a Christmas buffet lunch following the December meeting of the county council.

Cllr Tudor sent an email to the leader on Thursday, January 4, which said:

“I am concerned after speaking to a few residents and friends that work for Pembrokeshire County Council because there is resentment that we members had a free lunch after council in December.

“I am amazed that this hospitality is still provided. Can I suggest that it is stopped in the current climate of austerity and redundancies and that members bring their own lunch.”

The Prendergast ward councillor said she felt it was wrong on principle that councillors were still being given free hospitality while a possible 12.5 per cent tax rise was being discussed by the local authority.

Instead she believes county councillors should pay for all of their own meals.

“There is a perfectly good staff canteen with very reasonably priced food in county hall,” she said.

Council leader David Simpson replied to Cllr Tudor’s email and has agreed to meet with her to discuss the proposal later this month.