The Lib Dem opposition in Southwark has revealed that over £40k a year is being spent on full council meetings – with most of the money going on hiring tables, chairs and microphones.
An FOI conducted by the Southwark Liberal Democrats revealed that £41,000 was spent holding just six council meetings in a year. The figures relate to March 2022 to March 2023.
This works out at £6,800 on average per meeting – with £4,000 being spent on hiring equipment like tables, chairs and microphones.
Now the opposition councillors are calling on the ruling Labour administration to find ways to reduce the cost by purchasing their own equipment in order to make long-term savings, potentially renting the required desk and chairs from schools in the borough – or seeking an alternative venue altogether.
However, the council maintain the costs are necessary as they only require the equipment four times a year (May – April) and it would be more expensive to buy and store it.
The leader of the opposition Cllr Victor Chamberlain said the council was “lazily wasting money on itself.
“Over the last twelve months, everyone in Southwark has been told to tighten their belts,” he said. “Meanwhile, the Labour council continues to lazily waste money on itself.
“Our council should be embarrassed by the extortionate prices they have been paying just to conduct regular business.
“Using nearly £7,000 of taxpayer money to hold meetings in their own office is a complete outrage and residents will be rightfully furious.
“Labour need to have more respect for public money, and find a long-term solution to this expensive problem.”
The annual meeting is held in May at Southwark Cathedral and at £4,800 on average is significantly cheaper than those held at the Tooley Street offices.
The council explained this is because there is very little political discussion or public participation so they don’t need to hire individual microphones at these meetings – so there are no equipment costs.
Before the council relocated to Tooley Street in 2009, the authority was spread across sixteen locations around the borough. There were concerns back then about whether this was economical. In their former Camberwell Town Hall home there was a council chamber that was fully fitted out for meetings.
The council affirms that alternative venues for an ordinary council assembly have been tried, the costs for which were ‘higher’ than Tooley Street.
Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Communities, Democracy & Finance, said: “An ordinary council assembly meeting is where all councillors come together four times a year to debate and hear directly from residents. As such, we need the right space and equipment to support the free sharing of political opinion that is at the heart of effective discussion, including hiring individual microphones. Using Tooley Street as the venue is our best solution at present.
“We regularly look into alternative options to keep costs as low as possible for ordinary council assemblies, though affordable venues around the borough find it difficult to support the time and access requirements. Others are simply not fit for purpose, such as the shape and space at Southwark Cathedral. As and when we find a cheaper solution which still ensures our ability to hear residents’ deputations and questions, for our councillors to debate and challenge one another effectively, and to allow anyone who is interested to engage in local democracy, we will change how the meetings are set up to suit.”