Councils in Tayside and Fife are split over sending delegates to a conference in a luxury Scottish hotel from today to discuss spending constraints.
Perth and Kinross Council is sending its chief and depute chief executive to the two-day Convention of Scottish Local Authorities’ (Cosla) gathering at the Fairmont St Andrews, at a cost of nearly £800.
Angus Council is sending Councillor Rob Murray for the duration and Councillor Helen Oswald on Friday only.
However, the Dundee City and Fife councils are not sending anyone.
The theme of the conference is ”great expectations” and how to balance all the demands being put on authorities with falling budgets.
Perth and Kinross defended its attendance, saying: ”This is an important event nationally where delegates will hear the First Minister, other senior politicians and civil servants, and where they will have the opportunity to discuss and debate a number of significant challenges facing local government over the next few years.”
Angus councillor Mr Murray said: ”I am vice-president of Cosla and that is the main reason for me going. It is the major conference of Cosla in the year and we receive addresses and speeches from a number of the key people in Scotland.”
He continued: ”It is an opportunity for us to hear their views and for people in local government to explain what they are doing to progress against the backcloth of spending cuts.”
The event costs £395 per person in accommodation.
Aberdeenshire Council confirmed it would be sending six people, two of whom will be staying an extra night at an additional cost of £145 each bringing the total bill to £2,660.
Aberdeen City Council said the final numbers for the annual conference had not been confirmed, but it would be sending at least three people. This will put the cost of the trip at a minimum of £1,185, meaning the two north-east councils will shell out £3,845 for the conference.
Councillor Ian Yuill, who will be attending the event, said: ”As long as we are members of Cosla, it is important that we attend this event.
”We are there flying the flag for Aberdeen. It is an opportunity to lobby on behalf of the city council. I take spending public money very seriously.”
A Cosla spokesman said every local authority in Scotland would be represented.
He said: ”It is a shorter conference this year to recognise the external factors that we are all now operating within. Every organisation worth its salt has annual conference but ours seems to attract more criticism than many.”
Fairmont St Andrews boasts that “from lavish rooms to luxurious spa, world class golf to exquisite dining, our five star attention to detail is unsurpassed.”
Emma Boon of the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: ”It is highly inappropriate for councils to send councillors and officials to a five-star hotel to discuss spending cuts.
”This sort of behaviour shows how out of touch they are with taxpayers and the hardships they are facing. It is completely inappropriate and unnecessary to surround yourself in luxury in an exclusive setting to find ways of saving money.”