£114 Strand Road lunch contributed to£1k Gillespie bill

There’s no such thing as a free lunch and former Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie’s farewell get-together in Londonderry cost £114.30, the PSNI has revealed.

The total amount spent on catering upon Mrs Gillespie’s retirement was £922.42 and £282.94 was spent on gifts, police confirmed.

The dearest lunch hosted upon Mrs Gillespie’s retirement was that held on February 19 at the Police College in Garnerville. That cost £210.40.

This was followed by a finger food reception at the PSNI headquarters at Brooklyn, which cost £161.29.

A lunch at Enniskillen PSNI station on February 13, cost £150.72 whilst a blackthorn stick was also presented to the retiring Deputy Chief Constable at no cost.

Tea and biscuits at Enniskillen on the same day cost £22.32. Some stations managed to host lunches and receptions at no cost whatsoever.

These included receptions at the PSNI Air Support Unit at Aldergrove, at Musgrave PSNI and at Knocknagoney PSNI station.

However, Musgrave PSNI did present a piece of jewellery at a cost of £127.55.

Expenditure at other PSNI stations ranged between £7.54 at Omagh PSNI station to £75.82 at Lisburn PSNI station.

A total of £95 was spent on flowers across the Antrim Road, Lisburn and Knocknagoney stations.

And Banbridge PSNI station presented a print, which cost £60.39.

Whilst over £1,000 was spent on lunches, receptions and gifts for Mrs Gillespie’s retirement, the PSNI confirmed that no farewell function was held for former Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

“Mr Baggott was presented with a blackthorn stick at no cost to the organisation,” the PSNI stated.

Related topics: