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Council credit cards 'used for luxury junkets'


Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told it: "Some councils have been enjoying the high life paid for by you and me."

But local government groups said proper use of credit cards was "entirely appropriate" and could cut red tape.

Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Baroness Margaret Eaton said: "The use of credit cards for legitimate purposes is entirely appropriate and transparent.

"It helps reduce red tape by removing the need to invoice businesses and helps the cash-flow of regular suppliers who receive more prompt payment.
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It is outrageous that the - often handsomely rewarded - people on the top floor at County Hall are lavishing vast sums on travel, hotels, home cinema systems and even 拢1,000 on 'pure silk ties'鈥?

End Quote Jeremy Rowe Cornwall Council Lib Dem opposition leader

"The 拢100m spent on council credit cards in the last three years represents less than 0.03% of the 拢350bn local authority budget over that time.

"Councils are the most transparent part of the public sector, publishing details of spending in excess of 拢500. We would like to see that matched in all central government departments which,Then there are those that are appropriate crystal resonator that can be worn for parties and different kinds of events. with one exception, currently only publish spending in excess of 拢25,Fashion jewelry is a range of metal VCXO that are skin friendly and even coated with precious yellow or white gold to make it appealing at the same time.000."
Gucci bags

The Daily Telegraph said it had unearthed the information after making a number of requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

It comes as councils are trying to cut their spending by 28% over the next four years.

In addition to travel and hospitality, the paper said,The business is similar to the eighteenth-century merchant traders where there is trading of abercrombie clothing for a profit. some councils had bought luxury gifts, including Tiffany jewellery, Gucci bags and silk ties.

And it said Conservative-run Horsham Council in West Sussex had spent 拢1,150 on two llamas to graze on communal land.

The Telegraph said Cornwall Council's total credit card bill of 拢8.97m was the largest of any of the councils for which it had obtained details, and included 拢1,145,160 spent on hotels since 2008.
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...the culture of wild overspends which became the norm under Labour, will hopefully become a thing of the past鈥?

End Quote Eric Pickles Communities Secretary Eric Pickles

Cornwall Council officers had made trips to Goa in India, Bangkok in Thailand and Kyoto in Japan.

In a statement, Conservative-led Cornwall Council said it was one of the largest local authorities in the country and its overall budget for the same three year period was more than 拢3.5bn.

The council said the figures quoted in the Daily Telegraph were still being checked but at least 拢1.3m of the costs for overseas travel and hotels were "wrong", admitting it had not checked the data before it was released.

"One example of this is a figure of 拢114,142 for hotel costs in India for an educational exchange involving teachers from Cornish schools. This amount was actually in Indian rupees and would have been 拢1,645 in UK currency," the statement said.

Council leader Alec Robertson added: "Cornwall Council is committed to achieving the best possible value for money for council taxpayers in Cornwall.