FREE sandwiches have been scrapped at York council meetings to help save money – despite attempts by the Tories to veto the move.

City of York Council has traditionally laid on free snacks for politicians at its monthly full meetings, which run from 6.30pm to 10pm.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have now agreed to end the freebies, saving £1,000 a year – but not before an attempted revolt by the Conservatives, who urged their leader Ian Gillies to fight to save them.

Tories claimed that because they had full-time jobs, it was unfair for them to have to go straight to the meetings and then not have food provided, but the other parties said the food must go.

Councillors must now go hungry or bring supplies with them. They were previously provided with two platters of prawn, tuna, chicken, ham, and egg sandwiches plus crisps, small cakes and fresh fruit.

Labour leader James Alexander said the money would be better used on other things, such as stationery for council business.

He said: “In these trying economic times I suggested to group leaders that the expenditure on sandwiches can be better spent elsewhere. All group leaders agreed.”

However, Coun Gillies was overruled by his group, putting him in “a bit of a pickle”, according to Coun Alexander. He said the saga had left Coun Gillies with “egg on his face”.

Liberal Democrat council leader Andrew Waller said the move would have saved only a “token amount” compared to the wider savings needed, but said: “At a time when we are having to cut back spending and reduce the number of posts within the council, it is unseemly for councillors to be seen to cling onto free sandwiches.”

Coun Gillies said the Conservatives’ seven councillors would only use about £20 of snacks at each meeting, and said it was no big deal either way.

He said his party would have been happy to cut the sandwiches if the money had been truly saved, but said they opposed Labour’s attempt to spend it on other things instead.

“I said if you are going to save the money, then fair enough but if you are going to spend it on something else then we want the food,” he said.