Council goody bags not “extravagant outlay” (From Western Telegraph)

Pembrokeshire County Council goody bags not “extravagant outlay”

10:10am Friday 20th July 2012 in News

“Goody bags” handed to all councillors at the start of the new term cost a maximum of £37.90 county councillors were told at the first meeting of the new council on Thursday.

Induction documents were given to new councillors in a cloth bag costing £3.05. In each bag thre was a Pembrokeshire County Council pen costing £2.45, a reusable diary worth £16.95 with refills costing £4.25. Male councillors were given a council tie costing £11.20 and women a scarf worth £9.45.

Councillor David Bryan submitted a question to council asking how much the goody bags cost.

“Bearing in mind that cost and considering the stringent financial times we are in, was this a fair use of rate payers monies?” asked Cllr Bryant, who also wanted to know if the exercise would be repeated after the next election.

Council Leader, Jamie Adams, said that that the tie, scarf and pen promoted a council identity and that the reusable diary was useful for many members.

He said that the expenditure worked out at £9.79 per year per member which was not considered an “extravagant outlay”.