Hutt City Council member Campbell Barry is fired up about council members getting free buffet meals, especially when they’ve just passed what he calls a “sham” living wage policy.

Mr Barry thinks the wage policy doesn’t go far enough because it only pays a living wage when it is “the most cost effective” way for the council to do so.

It also applies only to those directly employed by the council, and it’ll be decided on a case by case basis in the most cost effective manner.

“It’s a bit of a sham, a sham policy, it looks like you’re doing it but you’re not really,” he told Newshub.

Mr Barry says the policy is a way for the Council to “pay lip service” without actually doing anything.

“I support the living wage, but I don’t support the policy that we’ve passed.”

Mr Barry is also upset that once the policy was passed by the Council last week, buffet meals were rolled out for the Councillors.

Read the rest on the Newshub site

This would save about $15,000 annually according to Cr Barry.  What does the KCDC spend on catering?