Shock cost of council’s bottled water bill

CALDERDALE Council racked up a £25,000 bill for bottled water in just 12 months.

Now councillors face demands for them to switch on the taps.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, Calderdale Council revealed it spent £24,956 on bottled water between April 2010 and March 2011.

The authority faces making cuts of £65m, with the loss of 200 jobs.

Council leader Janet Battye said it was looking at the amount it spent on bottled water as part of a “major review”.

The Freedom of Information request was made by road safety campaigners in Bradshaw, Halifax, who said they wanted to find out more about how the authority spent its money.

Campaigner Tom Lees said: “It’s disgusting at a time when spending needs to be reduced that councils are spending the equivalent of one person’s salary on bottled water.

"Is the water we all receive through our taps not good enough?"

Ms Battye said: “It does sound like a lot, but we have 4,000 employees and we have at least as many members of the public visiting our premises.”