Inquiry into Midlesbrough council's trips abroad

6:00am Saturday 14th November 2009

By Lucy Richardson

AN investigation has been launched following claims that more than £33,000 has been spent on sending council officials on foreign flights.

Allegations have been made that Middlesbrough Council has used taxpayers’ money to pay for excursions, including 15 days spent in Amsterdam.

It is being investigated by the district auditor, Deloitte, after a complaint was lodged by opposition party Middlesbrough Independent Members’ Association (MIMA).

The council has stated that the majority of flights were paid for by “external contributions”

Councillor Brian Hubbard, of MIMA, said some of the information uncovered since January through a Freedom of Information request was “quite shocking”.

He said: “The council spent £2,000 sending officers to Belgium to meet a printing firm to produce a booklet for the new art gallery, yet when the booklet was finally printed they used a printing firm in Billingham.”

The group said that the Labour-led council had still refused to reveal full details about why it spent more than £11,000 on 41 flights.

It said that more than £1,000 had been spent on sending town planners on training courses to Amsterdam and nearly £1,800 funded an excursion to Germany to learn how to organise a fun run.

Councillor Ken Walker, MIMA member and former leader of Middlesbrough Council, said: “We have asked for answers for nearly a year and have not had an answer.

“As they are accountable to the taxpayer, and whether they like it or not, they should explain what benefit all these flights have had for the people of Middlesbrough.”

Councillor Nicky Walker, the council’s executive member for resources, said MIMA had been provided with a considerable amount of information on all known journeys outside the UK in the past two years, including the number of officers and members involved, the purpose of the journeys and the travel costs.

“The vast majority of the costs incurred were met by external contributions and not Middlesbrough Council taxpayers,”

“We have been as open and transparent as possible throughout and foreign travel by both members and offices will remain subject to appropriate scrutiny.

“As this matter has now been referred to the council’s external auditor, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment pending the outcome of that process.”