Britain council gifts iPads to staff

LONDON - A council in Britain has been criticised for its decision to shut down public libraries and spending over 14,000 pounds ($21,640) to buy iPads for its staff.

The 24 tablet computers cost 594 pounds each plus an annual service fee of 72 pounds.

The Lib-Dem-Tory-run Warrington council in Cheshire, 250 km from London, will also spend 1,736 pounds a year on other hi-tech equipment to manage the devices, the Daily Express reported.

Council chiefs have said the expenditure will be covered in a year by cutting printing costs.

But Labour councillor Hitesh Patel said: “These are fantastically expensive gadgets. How can they expect local people to take budget consultation exercises seriously when we find out about them buying expensive things like these?”