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Anger over ‘away day’ council bills
SENIOR staff at Bromsgrove Council last year clocked up a bill of almost £19,000 on away day' meetings held at two hotels in the town.
The figure, £18,940.92, has angered the opposition Labour group which yesterday (Tuesday) called it an extravagance and an insult to hard pressed ratepayers.'
The figure, along with receipts and dates of the 13 meetings, was obtained by Labour leader Councillor Peter McDonald from council chief executive Kevin Dicks.
The meetings, for senior council managers, were held at the Bromsgrove and Hilton hotels and equated to £79 per head.
| “This is an insult to hard-up tax payers struggling to pay their bills, especially when they are being forced to pay more for parking and to have their green bins emptied." | | Councillor Peter McDonald |
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Cllr McDonald said: "This is an insult to hard-up tax payers struggling to pay their bills, especially when they are being forced to pay more for parking and to have their green bins emptied.
"It is also an extravagance as there is no need for jollies at tax payers' expense away from the Council House where there is ample room for meetings and where a chef is on hand to cater for them if need be."
However, council leader Roger Hollingworth (Con-Alvechurch) disputed the figure Cllr Mcdonald had been given, claiming that the sum should be £11,417 - £5,660 of which was spent on an annual management conference for all managers.
He went on to say that the council has made efficiency savings elsewhere, not through cutting essential services, with the exceptions being introducing charges for emptying green waste bins and axeing parking permits for the over 60s.
Defending the expense Cllr Hollingworth said: "As a businessman myself I recognise the value of management away days."
Cllr McDonald, who tonight (Wednesday) is set to raise the issue at a meeting of the full council, later insisted that the figures, as given him, are correct and include VAT.
7:32am Thursday 20th March 2008
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