Southwark Council spending £40,000 a year on full council meetings, Lib Dems reveal

Southwark Lib Dems have revealed the enormous cost of holding full council meetings, with £64,000 spent on 10 meetings since covid restrictions ended.

Since May 2021, Southwark council has spent £64,000 on 10 meetings, with two held in Southwark cathedral and eight taking place in the council offices on Tooley Street.

From March 2022 to March 2023, the council spent over £41,000 holding six full council meetings at an average cost of £6,800 per meeting.

Full council meetings held at Southwark’s own offices on Tooley Street are now costing in excess of £7,000 since prices were increased after July 2022.

Of the total costs incurred, £30,000 was spent on audio-visual services and £29,000 has been spent on hiring tables, chairs and lights.

Two of the ten meetings were annual meetings held in Southwark cathedral. These meetings were actually cheaper for the council than those held in the Tooley Street offices, costing £4,300 on average compared to £6,900.

The Lib Dem opposition group in Southwark has called on the council to find ways to reduce the cost of full council meetings.

Lib Dem members have suggested the council purchase 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.

Commenting, leader of the opposition Cllr Victor Chamberlain said:

“Over the last 12 months everyone in Southwark has been told to tighten their belts. 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 £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.”