Ho! Ho! No! You can’t go...

The Sentinel has learned that staff were recently told by email and word of mouth to have no ‘great expectations’ of their traditional Christmas knees-up - which they have always paid for themselves.

Contacted for a statement about the change in festive policy, a spokesperson for the council said: “In keeping with Council policy, staff are encouraged to organize any social events outside of Council working hours.”

The freeze on the annual festive frolics has drawn criticism from the Chairman of the Irish Executive of Unite, Liam Gallagher, who called on the CEO of Derry City Council, Sharon O’Connor, to have a change of heart.

“Obviously we need to get the Ghost of Christmas Past to visit the council chief executive and remind her that the staff have done an excellent job all year round, providing a marvellous service to the city, ranging from emptying bins and burying the dead to looking after planning legislation.

“The scrutiny that the public sector is being put under is grossly unfair and it should be weighed against the fact that these workers have not had a pay increase for three years because of a pay freeze. Staff are coming under constant scrutiny and threat and this serves to decry the concept of common good and public service,” he said, adding: “I think the Derry public should get behind the council workers and recognise the sterling job they do and we at Unite hope Sharon O’Connor will receive a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past”.