Utrecht city council gave the most expensive New Year party, spending €80,000 on two events on Monday evening, the Telegraaf reports.

Utrecht held a reception for civil servants costing €20,000 and a second reception in its brand new offices next to the central railway station with a budget of €60,000.

Second on the list of expensive council parties was Almere which spent €55,000.

In previous years, The Hague was the biggest spender on New Year parties, spending €125,000 on a reception in city hall and a further €79,760 on parties for civil servants. However, this year mayor Jozias van Aartsen of the governing VVD party used the tax money for an enormous firework show on the Hofvijver next to the houses of parliament instead.