COUNTY Hall fat cats could have their free meals scrapped.

Essex County Council leader David Finch agreed it was time to look again at free meals.

The move comes after a Freedom of Information of revealed county councillors enjoyed £68,549 of free meals at the canteen at County Hall, in Chelmsford, over the past two years.

Councillors were criticised for dining for free at the same time as they decided to force vulnerable residents to pay an extra 25p a day for meals on wheels – in a bid to save just £66,800.

Green Party councillor James Abbott called for a review of councillors’ free lunches, but an amendment was agreed by the full council calling for the issue to be decided by an independent body.

Mr Abbott said it was “not appropriate” that councillors should continue to benefit from free meals at the expense of taxpayers while services are being cut back due to the Government’s austerity measures.

He said there should be a “fairer and more appropriate mechanism for meeting the cost of meals”.

“The Tory councillors have referred this for independent remuneration, which is just kicking it into the long grass,” said Labour councillor Ivan Henderson.

“I’m angry about this. I’m happy to pay for my meals the same as all the hard-working staff at the council.

“Some of these fat cats take home more than £30,000 a year and they claim they can’t afford a meal – they really are out of touch.

“It’s disgusting that they want to keep their free meals just as they are cutting the subsidy for Meals on Wheels.”

Michael Le Cornu, chairman of the Tendring Pensioners’ Action Group, said he supported the motion and called for free meals for councillors to be scrapped.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “As agreed at full council, Essex County Council will ask the Independent Remuneration Panel to look into members’ allowances and meal provision.

“They will report back to a future meeting of full council which will then debate its findings.”