Divisions between opposition councillors in Wirral and the town hall's most senior officers appears to be growing ever-wider judging by a scathing email seen by the Globe.
Conservatives have been seething since a five-strong delegation led by Labour leader Cllr Phil Davies attended the Mipim property development conference at Cannes in the South of France early in March.
A written request from Tory councillor Chris Blakeley has unearthed the trip cost around £10,000, although some of the tab was apparently shared with development group Liverpool Vision.
Here is the email Cllr Blakeley sent to chief executive Eric Robinson. Mr Robionson's answers are in bold...
Dear Chief Executive,
I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Riviera and return refreshed.
Now could you please let me have the names of all the attendees from Wirral?
Councillor Phil Davies
Eric Robinson – Chief Executive
Alan Evans – Strategic Commissioner for Growth
Sally Shah – Lead Commissioner
Martin Liptrot – Interim Investment Lead
The cost of flights?
£4197.31
The standard of travel?
Economy
The name and cost of accommodation?
£5789.43
JW Marriott Hotel Novotel Hotel/Apartment
Breakdown of costs for all expenses, whether elected member or officer by individual?
159 Euros on coffee/City Tax and breakfast
Councillor Blakeley told the Globe: "Those at the top at the town hall are constantly preaching austerity and telling us the council has no money with services having to be remodelled, or even cut altogether in some cases.
"Yet it seems taxpayers' hard-earned cash is no object to this council when it's happy to spend £407 per night for hotel rooms in Cannes and more than £4,000 on flights.
"And it's difficult to understand why four council officers had to hold the leader's hand in Cannes at further cost to taxpayers."
While in Cannes councillor Davies announced he was setting up the Wirral Growth Company.
He told the Globe today: "We were at Mipim to put Wirral in the shop window for major investment and development.
"It is the annual conference when all the major developers in the world are there.
"I'm not going to apologise for promoting Wirral. I will go anywhere at any time to do that.
"Gone are the days when you can just sit in your office and wait for the phone to ring - we are competing globally.
"The reaction has been very positive and I am confident that we will bring a billions pounds worth of development opportunities for the borough."
In a sideswipe at Cllr Blakeley he added: "I don't remember him complaining too loudly when his group leader went to China to promote Wirral Waters."
Progress from Mipim event will be revealed at a cabinet meeting on May 22, and by the end of the calendar year Cllr Davies expects to be able to announce development partners.
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