NORTH Somerset Council spent more than �45,000 on providing refreshments for staff, councillors and guests last year, the Mercury can reveal.

A Freedom of Information request has uncovered the unitary authority spent �45,933 on the tea, coffee, sandwiches and biscuits during the financial year 2010/11.

The amount works out at �124 a day or �833 a week and comes in a year when the council has pledged to save �47.3million by 2015.

The department spending the most was corporate services, which paid �23,913 on laying on the refreshments.

Adult social services and housing department spent �7,541 and children and young people’s services paid out �6,464.

The spending, however, marks a drop from last year when a total of �82,690 was spent.

On answering the request for information, the council said it no longer handed out refreshments for officer meetings.