The News Shopper submitted a Freedom of Information request to Greenwich Council to determine how much taxpayers’ money was spent on refreshments in 2023 and 2024.
Specifically, we asked how much was spent on hot and cold drinks, biscuits, pastries, fruit, crisps, sandwiches, and sandwich platters.
From January to December 2024, Greenwich Council spent a huge £8782.34 on teas, biscuits, sandwiches and other refreshments.
The Freedom of Information request also revealed that the council’s preferred store to buy biscuits were Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury’s.
The biggest expenditure took place towards the end of last year when the council spent a whopping £1,736 at the Tudor Barn Event for Reps and Champion in Eltham.
Tudor Barn is a wedding venue and it’s likely that there were several people at the event.
Staff from the Community Rehabilitation and Short-Term Assessment Team (CRSTAT) had an away day at a hotel in Greenwich last year and the conference venue had refreshments which cost £1,100 in total.
At one of the Public Health Test and Trace meetings in 2024, £750 was spent on refreshments followed by another £625 at the different edition of the same event.
At a litigation mediation meeting, Greenwich Council spent £68.87 on All Butter Shortbread and Paterson’s Shortbread Fingers from Tesco.
At the Greenwich in Bloom Awards Ceremony, £435 was spent on refreshments, and £360 was spent at the Shared Lives Workshop.
The smallest expenditure throughout the year on refreshments took place at an Audits and Exemplars Overview meeting where just £3 for each meeting was spent on biscuits from Tesco.
The total expenditure on refreshments in 2024 increased by £3,666.45 when compared to 2023.
In 2023, Greenwich Council spent £5115.91 on refreshments.
Their biggest expenditure took place at a Public Health Test and Trace meeting.
Greenwich Council spent £812.50 on drinks and snacks for that meeting, and this was the third biggest expenditure from the FOI.
Councils often spend money on refreshments to support meetings, events, and community engagement activities.
Providing tea, coffee, and light snacks can help create a welcoming environment for discussions with residents, staff, and external partners, particularly during long meetings or public consultations.
A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said: “The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a well-managed and financially secure local authority.
“We have robust processes in place to ensure that all spending is necessary and justified.
“Providing refreshments at events, many of which celebrate and champion our diverse communities, helps encourage resident engagement and participation in local democracy.
“As stated in Our Greenwich, our corporate plan, with a population of nearly 300,000 people we’re committed to developing networks with communities, key partners and businesses to meet the borough’s needs and address challenges together.”
