TOWN councillors want another civic dinnertime.

But it still won't cost the town's taxpayers a bean.

This March the town council held its annual civic dinner for the first time without billing the town's taxpayers in any way.

The £28 a head tuck in at the Guildhall was so successful that now the councillors want to do it all over again.

Deputy mayor Rob Lyon said that fellow town councillor Felicity Smith had done such a good job of organising the March dinner it was worth holding another one. 'I thought it was a very pleasant evening and I don't see why we shouldn't do it again the way we did this year,' he said as members of the council's General Purposes Committee recommended the civic dinner tradition should continue.

He added: 'If enough people are prepared to put the effort in I think we should do it.'

In the past the town council's civic dinners have cost taxpayers up to £1,500 a time as dozens of councillors and VIP guests got to eat and drink for free.

Some town councils have even axed their civic dinners to save taxpayers money.

Dartmouth councillors decided it should go ahead as usual but should be 'cost neutral' for the town.

Around 88 people turned out for this year's civic dinner with catering done by the Royal Castle hotel and with a menu of chicken liver parfee with Royal Castle chutney, followed by Braised lamb pie with rosemary and red wine and apple and cinnamon crumble with vanilla custard – plus a sparkling wine reception to start.

The event even made a small amount of money which went to mayor's 'cheer' fund which is distributed to the elderly in the town at Christmas.