The Housing Authority spent €35,000 on parties, gifts, and social events throughout 2022, violating public spending regulations.

This included almost €10,000 on a Christmas party for its 180 employees held in December, with just under €2,000 for ‘music entertainment’, in addition to the €7,700 for a reception. Meanwhile, €200 were spent on decorations.

The National Audit Office’s annual review of government spending chastises the Housing Authority for these expenses, saying it must ensure that funds “are used efficiently and no undue expenses are incurred”.

Aside from the Christmas party, an additional €25,000 was spent on other hospitality expenses, including food and drinks for staff, flowers, wedding gifts and Christmas hampers for its board members.

Bafflingly, ‘flu vaccines and medicines’ are also listed among the authority’s expenses.

In its written response to the auditor general, the Housing Authority assured the auditor that the Christmas staff party will be scrapped altogether starting from this year.

Events used as 'springboard' to collect donations

However, it defended some of its hospitality expenditure, saying that it “formed part of team building activities” that were “deemed important from a human resources point of view”.

The events, the authority argued, were also used “as a springboard” to collect donations for NGOs.

Nevertheless, the authority said that it will take the auditor’s recommendations to cut excessive spending on board.

BCA spent €8,900 on... water

Meanwhile, the Building and Construction Authority’s generosity was also on display during Christmas time, with the report revealing that it spent €2,100 on hampers and gifts for staff and stakeholders in December 2021.

Meanwhile, the authority spent a further €8,900 at a local supermarket, including for the purchase of drinking water.

“A more cost-effective solution is to be considered for the provision of drinking water,” the auditor’s report says, drily suggesting that a reverse osmosis system could be installed.