Hounslow Council Spends Nearly £3,000 on Fish and Chips
Orders placed to cater for foodbank fundraising events
Mario's Fish Bar in Isleworth. Picture: Google Streetview
July 7, 2025
Hounslow Council has been criticised for spending almost £3,000 on fish and chips for two charity events.
A total of £2,901.30 was spent on food at two events to raise money for Hounslow Mayor’s chosen charity for 2024/25, Hounslow Community FoodBox, selected by then-Mayor Cllr Karen Smith, who represents Hounslow South.
Around £4,000 was raised at the events to help feed people in need, but questions have been asked about whether spending around 75% of the amount raised on fish and chips is a sensible use of public funds.
It’s unclear what other costs were footed by the Hounslow taxpayer for the two charity quiz nights.
These events are usually attended by different groups, including council staff, councillors, and local residents and organisations. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands attendees were charged a £10 ticket fee which is included in the sum then donated to Hounslow Community FoodBox.
The first payment for fish and chips came in November 2024, when an order from Mario’s Fish Bar amounting to £1,335.80 was made by Hounslow Council. Six months later in May 2025 the council purse was charged again, this time for £1,565.50 worth of fish and chips from the same takeaway.
In the same 12 months, the council increased taxes on residents by 4.99 per cent and removed much of the council tax support scheme for those who may struggle to pay.
Callum McGoldrick, a researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said, “Residents in Hounslow will be fuming that while their council tax bills soar, town hall bosses are tucking into thousands of pounds’ worth of fish and chips.
“This kind of wasteful spending shows just how out of touch the council has become. Hard-pressed taxpayers expect their money to go towards essential services, not slap-up suppers at their expense.”
Local authorities often charge expenses on the public purse when carrying out official duties, including Mayoral events. However at a time when the cost of living is high, it doesn’t sit well with some people.
LDRS analysis of other Hounslow Council payments between May 2024 and May 2025 shows over £30,000 was spent on conference rooms, including at Holiday Inn, which has raised eyebrows when the council has meeting spaces in its own buildings. One such payment was for space to provide safeguarding training for local nurseries and childminders.
Roma Awes, from Community Lighthouse CIC, told the LDRS: “As a community organisation working directly with people facing homelessness and inequality, Lighthouse is appalled by Hounslow Council spending priorities. At a time when residents are being hit with a 4.99% council tax hike and rising rents, the council has spent £2.9k on fish and chips and over £30k hiring conference rooms [when] it already owns [similar spaces].
“These are not just poor financial decisions; they show a troubling disconnect from the real hardships people in our borough face every day. Public money must be used responsibly, not wasted while vulnerable communities are left behind.”
Hounslow Council defended the takeaway spend as an appropriate use of council finances as it raised “more than nearly £4,000” for Hounslow Community Foodbox. Guy Lambert is a former-Labour and now Independent Socialist councillor for Brentford West, and a patron of the charity the event was held for.
He said it was “perfectly appropriate”. He told the LDRS: “There has always been a Mayor’s budget and most Mayors in previous years have spent it on taxis and things like that.
“But they don’t do that anymore, I think it is quite appropriate to spend money on this event, part of the job of a council is to support local initiatives. It’s good for the community.”
A Hounslow Council spokesperson said: “In carrying out its duties to staff, residents and businesses – such as professional development, community events, or promotion of the borough as an investment destination – any council inevitably incurs expenses. Hounslow Council strives at all times to deliver value for money, and to maintain a balanced budget within the increasingly tight financial circumstances in local government.”
A spokesperson for Hounslow Community FoodBox said: “Hounslow Community FoodBox was not involved in the planning or delivery of the Mayor’s Charity Quiz Night and cannot comment on the associated costs. We would direct any questions regarding event expenses to the Office of the Mayor. We remain extremely grateful to the Mayor for selecting Hounslow Community FoodBox as her chosen charity and for the funds raised, which support our vital work in the community.”
Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter