Labour-run Brent Council has hit the local and regional news for its decision to pay for 27 senior staff and Labour councillors to spend the weekend at a luxury country hotel – where they planned budget cuts.
The council is quite right that it is good management practice for senior teams every now and again to spend time together making longer term plans. Going to Latimer Place De Vere Hotel in Chesham, Buckinghamshire isn’t exactly the only way to do it though.
Councillor Paul Lorber, Brent Liberal Democrat opposition leader, told the local papers: “It is morally outrageous that the first decision that Labour have made regarding their budget is to spend days away at an expensive hotel in order to set it. This action completely undermines Labour’s credibility and their complaints about Government cuts.”
And Labour-run Brent Council’s planned sequel to all this? A return weekend trip in October.
More information and a petition are on the Brent Liberal Democrats website. You can see the venue in the ITV News report.
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Councillor joins Lib Dems in Somerset
Some kids just need more hugs and cuddles
Test post 6
The Joy of Six 1323
Mick Taylor
Steve Trevethan
Ricky Treadwell
Christopher Haigh
Katie Wilson-Downie
15 Comments
Christ on a bike ! Talk about bare faced chancers shooting blunderbusses in glasshouses.
Orange Tories complaining how a council is considering cuts being forced upon it by….err well both coloured Tories.
Next week ConHome will be critical of another Labour council wondering how the hell they are going to keep schools that are falling down open for their pupils.
You lot do a better job playing fall guys for the Tories than you do as the Tory attack dogs…..keep to announcing unpopular measures, it’s the job Cameron has you all performing so well.
Well, that sensible comment does a fine job of showing what Labour activists think is the appropriate response to a story like this. No chance of a “yes, this is irresponsible but hopefully it’s not to late to cancel the booking and move to a cheaper hotel to save money”. No, instead more Labour ranting, huffing and puffing.
Do you think the hotel choice was ok then Still Red Rag?
Mark – Small time sniping from the side, when the bigger issue, is the cuts that your party successfully attacked before the election. The same cuts that your leader seems to mention with such relish.
If you don’t believe me, have a word with Warren Bradley, the leader of your party where your conference is this year.
I think the vast majority of Labour members and supporters will be horrified by this. Overtime is being cut, lighting is being dimmed, staff are going to be charged to use the town hall carpark. That is the reality of municipal life in Britain this summer. For cabinet members and senior officers to go off on a junket defies belief. Their hubris takes one’s breath away.
@Sesenco
Yes, the majority – the vast overwhelming majority of Labour supporters, Councillors and MP’s will be horrified at this. However, I do happen to think that dimming of street lighting is something we should be doing regardless of the financial situation. It makes no sense whatsoever to light up the streets for hours on end when there is either little or no activity. In fact, street lighting has been proven to be helpful only to criminals, as there is more criminal and anti-social activity in areas which have trailled dimming (or switching off ) of street lighting.
In my own council area, for instance, Street lighting is one sixth of the councils carbon footprint.
Agree on dimming street lighting.
I’m more and more convinced red rag is a parody these days. It’s disquieting to think someone is so blinkered, although I’ve met people in real life like that unfortunately. Futile arguing with such people, best to ignore completely.
On the topic itself, private eye has been pointing out things like this for years. Even in boom times it’s not appropriate to spend money like this. Why on earth do they even consider such expense? If they really want a planning session away from the normal day to day operations, rent out a hall near a cheap hotel somewhere.
@Still Red Rag
It would appear that the “bare faced chancers shooting blunderbusses in glasshouses” is you and your mates, the Red Tories, lounging around in posh hotels, paid for by the larger part, by poor people in the rest of the country.
Huff and puff, would seem to seem to be Labour’s response. Huff, guff and puff. “I’ll stick my fingers in my ear and shriek, if you say I did anything wrong.” How long do you think you and your lot can carry this act on, before no one is prepared to listen any more?
Eh?
I’m afraid this entire story is misinformed. The trip isn’t being paid for out of council funds, but out of those of the local labour party.
Nathan: That’s not what the council told the local media in all the quotes from their press team that I checked, so what’s the source for your comment?
@Mark Pack
My father is a member of the local labour party (we don’t live together) and he’s told me that the party thinks it is putting money towards this.
Thanks Nathan. If Labour is putting in any money I suspect it’s for some of the extra Labour councillors rather than the whole cost (given what council press office said), but I will check further.
Nathan,
Are you alleging that senior officers in Brent are accepting hospitality from the Labour Party?
Nathan: I’ve had the question of Labour paying for this double-checked with the Chief Exec’s office and they say that all the costs were paid for by the council.