COUNCIL tax payers in Redcar and Cleveland are paying a subsidy to keep a town hall canteen open, says a councillor.

Councillor Valerie Halton, the Conservative member for Belmont ward, said the borough council's catering service, which comes under the control of the education department, is losing thousands of pounds a month.

It also controls the subsidised restaurant at Eston Town Hall, used by staff, officers and councillors.

Coun Halton said she thought the service was unnecessary because staff were paid good wages and councillors received a reasonable allowance.

Also, most people took their lunches in rather than eat the meals provided in the canteen.

Coun Halton said: "It is funded out of the council tax and I think it is immoral that we are being subsidised. It does not seem right to me that we are losing £3,000 a month and council tax payers are paying for our meals and cups of tea. It is not on."

Councillor David Walsh, leader of the council, said: "We have a job to try and reduce the costs in the catering service and we have got to make it reactive to what consumers want.

"It has been quite clear in a couple of cases that might not have been happening."