Council Executives Spent £2.6M on 5 Star Hotels, Holidays, Suits, Ipads Etc

[Vague_Boy]

It seems that, while "we're all in this together", council chiefs (of all political persuasions) aren't "in it" quite as much as the rest of us.

 

Council bosses use credit cards for lavish lifestyles

 

Council bosses presiding over the deepest cuts since the Second World War are using their taxpayer-funded expenses and credit cards to fund a lavish lifestyle of five-star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and retreats at exclusive golf resorts and spas, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

 

The senior officials regularly flew first class and stayed in exotic destinations such as Shanghai, Tuscany and San Francisco. They spent thousands of pounds on tickets to stadium concerts and prestigious sporting events, and even used public money to buy suits, iPads and vintage wine.

 

One town hall chief executive charged the taxpayer more than £100 to buy presents for his chauffeur on an all-expenses paid trip to the Champagne region of France, while another bought silk ties from “London’s oldest tailor and robe maker”.

 

An investigation by The Daily Telegraph has uncovered details of apparently questionable spending by chief executives at councils across the country which are slashing hundreds of thousands of jobs and making harsh cuts to libraries, children’s services and bin collections.

 

Records of spending at 340 local authorities obtained by this newspaper show some bosses are running up tens of thousands of pounds in expenses and credit card bills on top of their six-figure salaries, despite being ordered to slash their pay and perks by Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary.

 

The disclosures are likely to lead to comparisons with MPs expenses and will inflame local anger over the largesse of local authorities.

LINK

 

Oh dear.

 

"Man of the people" Tim Shields, chief executive of Hackney, one of the most deprived boroughs in London, spent £6,000 on a trip to Beijing during the 2008 Olympics Games for “training”. He flew business class.

 

Personally i think the Telegraph is making too much of it. I wish I had a boss considerate enough to spend £118.95 on me (OK, it wasn't actually his money, but the thought is what counts, surely?)

[wednesday1]

BIt generalised too - if it was spit equally it wouldn't be a particularly high amount per council, so I'm assuming there is quite a disparity between the highest and lowest?

 

 

Don't let the facts get in the way of Barnsley Bill's Tax Payer Alliance / David Icke / lizard people agenda! He'll never come back and argue.