All 54 Leicester city councillors could be playing Angry Birds and Flick Football on iPads after next year’s May elections, as the Council look to hand out iPads to al councillors.

Four councillors are currently playing part in a cross-party trial, which so far consists of widespread use of Snake, Angry Birds and Doodle Jump ahead of their potential roll-out across the council in May 2011..

The sought-after gadget costs up to £699, in addition to charges of up to £15-a-month for a data connection, which comes out as an annual additional cost of £180, totalling £879 in the first year, in addition to existing laptops and mobile phones.

These iPads have been provided as the council considers deleting minesweep and patience from Council computers.

One Leicester councillor, who is awaiting delivery of the most expensive and shiniest 64 gigabyte model, said:

“We’re trying out the iPad to see whether it improves the way we work as councillors.  If it does, and it can replace costly sudoku books and Take a Break crosswords, then the council could potentially save £90,000 each year.”

“I have a laptop but it is quite heavy and laptop bags are so unstylish, meaning it is awkward to take to several meetings in a day.  Somehow millions of people have coped for the last decade with laptops, but I get a sore shoulder and this impedes me when playing Minesweeper on my council funded computer.”

“It also has to be charged much more regularly than an iPad and as a publicly appointed representative I need my gadgets to have a long battery life.”

Conservative group leader Ross McGadget, has a 64 gigabyte iPad, which is wi-fi and 3G enabled, and cost £814.  Whilst people in the City survive on minimum wages.

He raved about his new iPad saying.  ”It’s great because it’s better at playing games and makes Councillors look like they’re in touch with ‘yoof’.  He added: “The iPad has put the cool into Cool-uncillor.”

“Whenever a constituent stops me in the street I can show them my iPad and they can be impressed at the shiny screen and curved corner.  Later they wonder why their taxes have paid for it, but by then I’m long gone, checking into 4square on either my iPhone or iPad.’

“Also when I’m in key meetings, if I’m really bored I can just bring out the iPad and have a quick round of golf and people think I’m working.”  

But one senior councillor said: “As soon as we all heard that three councillors were getting iPads everyone started asking for one, and why wouldn’t they!”

“I suppose it’ll be handy to have, but the expense is a little bit awkward to explain the public at a time of cuts.  But the 1,000 people we’ve laid off probably won’t notice as they’ll be in the job centre anyway.”