Thousands of sandwiches are being thrown away in City Hall - because Bradford councillors don't like the look of them.

Now Deputy Council leader Councillor Mohammed Ajeeb has given caterers a mouthful, saying they could do better.

The Council spent £43,000 on food for committee and Council meetings from 1997-98 and the bill since last March is £32,000.

The storm in a teacup erupted at the Council's services review sub-committee where the hungry former Lord Mayor was forced to eat two "unattractive" salmon and cucumber sandwiches after fasting.

He said that, although 20 people had been at the meeting, half of the mixed sandwiches and samosas on the trolley were being thrown out because nobody wanted them.

"There is general dissatisfaction about the quality. It is very unappetising and is going to waste," said Coun Ajeeb. "We went to York Council and the quality of sandwiches was so good. The food there was very attractive."

Coun Ajeeb said it was a false economy to cut expenditure on food then throw it out because people did not want it. Sub committee chairman Councillor Andy Mudd said: "We are exercising control over how much we are spending to feed councillors."

He said: "A sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich. I think they were okay."

He said he thought food served at committees should be basic and provided for members who had been unable to get home beforehand.

"I don't think council-tax payers want to see us spending a lot of money to feed ourselves.

"But there is some waste and we should try to control it. It would be nice to see it being taken somewhere else to be eaten. But it wouldn't be possible for health and safety reasons."

Tory sub committee member Councillor Richard Wightman said: "I didn't have anything to eat and it looked pretty unappetising.

"We don't want to spend a lot of money on food but low cost food can still be very appetising."

A York Council spokesman refused to disclose their catering budget but said they used both in-house and outside caterers.

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