Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Fiddlers, magicians and harpists at "extravagant" mayor's dinner
The South Wales Evening Post carries a report of a rather unusual Mayor's annual dinner staged by a Town Council with what appears to have been a very generous budget.
They say that cost of the annual Gorseinon Town Council event, which is believed to run to thousands of pounds and is said to have featured entertainment from magicians, harpists and fiddlers is to be discussed in private at its monthly meeting tonight:
Guests at the dinner, which was held on April 30, included the town mayor, mayors of neighbouring community councils, the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Gorseinon town councillors and other invited guests.
Councillor Jim Dunckley said he thought it was irresponsible of the council to exclude the public from the discussions about the event.
He added: "It's unbelievable that when the town council voted to cut funding for local charities and the children's summer play scheme, that money has been spent on magicians, harpists and fiddlers at this event.
"It's an extravagant waste of public money. And it's even more unbelievable that the town council is attempting to deny the public the opportunity to hold the council to account for this irresponsible behaviour. It shows total contempt for the democratic process."
The Council argue that the reason they are going into camera to discuss this controversy is not to avoid any further embarrassment but because it is a commercially confidential between them and the venue. I am not sure that a local government lawyer would agree with that interpretation.
They say that cost of the annual Gorseinon Town Council event, which is believed to run to thousands of pounds and is said to have featured entertainment from magicians, harpists and fiddlers is to be discussed in private at its monthly meeting tonight:
Guests at the dinner, which was held on April 30, included the town mayor, mayors of neighbouring community councils, the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Gorseinon town councillors and other invited guests.
Councillor Jim Dunckley said he thought it was irresponsible of the council to exclude the public from the discussions about the event.
He added: "It's unbelievable that when the town council voted to cut funding for local charities and the children's summer play scheme, that money has been spent on magicians, harpists and fiddlers at this event.
"It's an extravagant waste of public money. And it's even more unbelievable that the town council is attempting to deny the public the opportunity to hold the council to account for this irresponsible behaviour. It shows total contempt for the democratic process."
The Council argue that the reason they are going into camera to discuss this controversy is not to avoid any further embarrassment but because it is a commercially confidential between them and the venue. I am not sure that a local government lawyer would agree with that interpretation.
