Lib Dem Fury at Councillors Party at Taxpayers Expense

Liberal Democrats have reacted with fury to plans for councillors to attend annual Reception parties hosted by the Chairman of the Council at the taxpayers' expense. The events, last year which were held at the prestigious Bowood Hotel and Country Club and Antropous House in Amesbury, offer free drinks and canapés to councillors and dignitaries celebrating the achievements of the council and other organisations over the previous year.

Lib Dem Group Leader Jon Hubbard said, "I fail to see that after announcing that 240 jobs are to be cut there is anything to celebrate. The Conservative Administration is sacking staff and then planning to hold a party! I cannot understand how anyone could see it reasonable for councillors to be quaffing champagne and canapés at the public's expense while making people redundant.

"This just shows how out of touch this Conservative Administration is. The Liberal Democrat group will not be attending these events and I urge all councillors of all parties to join us in boycotting this abhorrent self congratulatory booze up, paid for by cutting staff and services.

"It's right that we should say thank you to the people who have worked so hard to make Wiltshire a better place to live, but we should be sympathetic to the circumstances and remember that at this time of cuts and austerity we should not splash out on expensive parties paid out of the public purse.

"A simple reception could be held in County Hall for a fraction of the cost of these planned parties and I urge Jane Scott and the Council to reconsider and to scale down the event to be more appropriate for the economic climate".