Trip to Strasbourg

Apparently they never learn.

Council Deputy Leader (Tracey Simpson Laing) is off on a trip to Strasbourg.

York residents petition

Apparently she is telling Europe how successful York’s Labour Council is using “online petitions and campaigning”, and spoke of “the council’s approach in engaging with residents via the internet, as part of its wider communications offer”

Given that every on line petition received by the York Council during the last 2 years has been ignored, and their woeful record in providing even basic update reports on their web site, the topic beggars belief.

No doubt she was able to explain why there has been an explosion in the number of Freedom of Information requests submitted to the Council since 2011 as residents desperately try to find out what is happening in their City.

It is unclear whether the trip it is connected with her failed bid to become a Euro MEP. The media have observed a conspiracy of silence on that topic

Day out in Scotland

Edinburgh Councillors react to James Alexander leaving City

Apparently the York Councils Leader and Chief Executive are on a day trip to Edinburgh.

This may be something to do with the upcoming Scottish independence referendum.

An opt out vote would increase the foreign travel opportunities which senior York Council nobs seem to find so attractive.

The Edinburgh Council currently has a Labour/SNP coalition running it.

Like Labour in York, the Edinburgh Council has been mired in controversy over land sales and Green Belt developments.

York Councillors expenses published

click for complete list

The Council has published a list of expenses claimed by Councillors during August.

Nothing particularly noteworthy other than an eye-watering £220 London hotel bill for Cllr Crisp. This was apparently coupled to a visit to Elstree (where they filmed Madame Pompadour in 1927). She also draws a salary of around £1800 a month from the Council.

Tory Councillor John Galvin attended a Local Government Association conference with a whopping £229 registration fee. However, he only costs taxpayers £1100 a month in wages

Cllr Simpson Laing charged taxpayers only £118 for another conference hotel in Manchester (Her salary – £2000 pm).

Looking back to July, Cllr Crisp had also been staying in a London hotel then although on this occasion at a more modest £147 cost.

Commendably Cllr Crisp hasn’t apparently claimed back the travel costs of her regular trips to the capital.