Councillor Rodney Bass has slammed as ‘utterly irrelevant’ the release of figures showing he has eaten the most free meals at County Hall canteen in the past year.

The figures were released after Green Party councillors, who reject the free meal system, argued they should be published.

Conservative councillor for Heybridge and Tollesbury Mr Bass, ate £995 of free meals at the County Hall canteen during 2013-14.

The cabinet member for highways and transportation said the money showed how hard he worked.

He said: “It’s a more complicated issue than it appears at face value.

“I have no idea how the figures are constructed, I imagine they are double the cost of the food, these are nominal meal costs which are supplied by county council canteen.

“I sign the book for meals religiously, it does prove I do quite a lot of work.

“When I reach County Hall in the morning I am normally second in, I’m in before the doors open.

“Sometimes I do not leave until 6pm, or I go to another meeting.

“My day can start at 8am and finish at 10pm.

“Am I supposed to exist on no victuals at all?”

He also claimed never to have charged fuel expenses, compared with other councillors.