Crumbs! Our tale of how magistrates are to get their biscuit allowance withdrawn has caused a real storm in a teacup!

Yesterday, we reported how Kent’s magistrates had been left with only the credit crunch to munch on - after the economic downturn stretched as far as their free tea and biscuits.

The county's 850 magistrates are irate the provision of biscuits in their retiring rooms has crumbled as part of cost-cutting by Kent's HM Courts Service.

We told how there are calls for more communication between the area director Dave Weston and the Magistrates' Association, which says the cuts could easily be made elsewhere.

But the story has led to a division among Kentonline’s reading ranks.

Mrs Waldrop of Beltring said: “Sorry, but £20,000 a year on tea and biscuits? That's a joke!! Think of how much healthier the magistrates will be now their sugary snacks have been withdrawn!”

Steve from Canterbury added his dissent, saying “Good way to save money, I don't get free biscuits at work, so why should they!? Anyway, the 'Free' biscuits are a 'benefit in kind', so the Magistrates should be paying tax on them anyway.

A correspondent named only as ES from Rochester said “My heart bleeds for them (NOT), oh how sad can they get, BRING YOUR OWN BISCUITS, Im sure there are a lot of people out there who cant afford biscuits cos of the of the credit crunch.”

To read the original story - This takes the biscuit – there’s no justice – simply click on this link>>>

But many wrongly assumed magistrates were ‘fat cats’ who could easily afford the biscuits on their pay. They are, in fact, volunteers, who merely get an allowance to help with expenses.

John W of east Kent said: “£20,000 may sound a lot per year but given the fact we are told there are 850 involved plus probably the various extras it doesn't seem too expensive.

“By my calculations it's around 45p per week per person. That's not bad for a week’s "tea and biscuits" is it ???”

And Iain of Dartford bemoaned the state of affairs where every biscuit now needs to be counted.

He said: “This is yet another example of how the world of work gets more miserable every day; of how every single penny has to be accounted for so that eventually every pleasure will be eradicated.

“And why? Will our concil tax be lowered? No. It will continue rising and the Government will spend it on giving hand-outs to work-shy spongers. Have we really got to a point where we begrudge people a cup of tea and a flaming biscuit!!?”

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