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Wokingham mayor councillor Pauline Helliar-Symons
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Lib Dems and MP boycott £3K civic party

By Victoria Corbett
February 18, 2009

Wokingham Liberal Democrats councillors and Tory MP John Redwood have united to boycott a soirée costing £3,000 to taxpayers.

The invitation-only grand do for councillors and local dignitaries is being hosted next month by Wokingham Borough councillor and mayor Pauline Helliar Symons at Arborfield Garrison.

The town's Liberal Democrats have decided not to attend the party, branding it inappropriate in recession time and given that the council has just announced a swath of redundancies costing £500,000.

Do you think £3,000 for a do is so "little" it could not be used in the community? is it right for the council to spend £3,000 on a soiree? Have a say here.

Mr Redwood has also refused to take part, advising the council to save cash in the current financial climate.

Responding to widespread criticism this week, Cllr Helliar-Symons said: “The cost is so little that I fail to see how [the money] could do anything of use in the community."

With £3,000, charity Keep Mobile, which provide transport for the elderly and the disabled across Wokingham and Bracknell Forest, could fund 30 day trips for 20 people.

- More in this week's Wokingham Times.

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Most recent user comments 12 of 12

I think it's fine for them to have a party - as long as they use local suppliers and catering companies.

The entertainment industry is being hit really hard so if £3,000 would support them a bit I say go for it!

Snuffles
24/02/2009 at 15:17

Big hand for Cllr Baker - hopefully his public rejection will 'cook' up a storm within the council chambers. With the way its going i can only imagine the mayor will be entertaining herself. By the way, is there a venue in Wokingham big enough to cater for our councillor's ego's? Looks like it could be an outdoor event.

Finchampstead's Finest
19/02/2009 at 09:38

So an executive councillor is also boycotting, perhaps now the council will rethink holding this event.

Woky
19/02/2009 at 09:13

Why doesn't the Mayor use some of her allowance to pay for the event?

The Watcher, Berkshire
18/02/2009 at 21:55

I think everyone needs to be careful about accusing all councillors of having a party here. Since being elected in 2006 I have yet to attend any Mayors civic party (and I am not going to this one). I am sure I am not the only one. I doubt if many Liberal Democrat Councillors can claim the same thing.

keith baker
18/02/2009 at 20:03

Maybe I should hold back my Council Tax this year. After all, it's a lot less than £3k and if the council thinks that is such a small amount of money that could do no good in the community, then my council tax won't be missed.

Woky
18/02/2009 at 17:02

This comes just after the story about the chief exec getting £150000 plus a year. If she thinks £3000 is a small amount of money then there should be no problem having our kitchen replaced in our council house, that is falling to bits. The public, trade unions and community groups should have more say in how all this money is spent.

r0uge, South of Reading
18/02/2009 at 16:31

JC, Woodley - they couldn't afford The Oakwood Centre. Spending £3k in there barely gets you a cup of coffee, let alone a taxpayers' thank you party.

Finchampstead's Finest
18/02/2009 at 15:25

Why not hold this bash at the Oakwood Centre - that needs more business.

JC, Woodley
18/02/2009 at 15:20

How does Councillor Pauline Helliar-Symons have the cheek to hold an "invitation-only" event to celebrate the hard work of the council - when it's the public who have to work extremely hard to earn the soaring amounts of money they charge us each year for a pretty average level of service. Our childcare is failing, taxes are on the increase, the country is in recession and the town has seen a record number of people made redundant or unemployed, yet our mayor deems it a good time for a knees up - at our expense. If you can't find a necessary way to spend the money why not use it where it is urgently needed. I believe a public apology is in order for all those residents who are being made a mockery out of this shambolic event.

Finchampstead's Finest
18/02/2009 at 13:29

Good old Pauline has shot herself in the foot a bit there.

Perhaps Madam Mayor you would like to give me three grand as it's "such a small amount of money".

Talking of "small amounts of money" isn't this the same council always banging on about the "small amount of money" it gets from the Government?

Thus, when you have a "small amount of money" spending a "small amount of money" on a booze-up isn't the brightest idea.

Megaman
18/02/2009 at 09:33

I can understand why councillors hold this event in normal years, but this is no normal year. The country is in a recession, more people are losing their jobs (the council itself is proposing redundancies) and the council says it is severely underfunded. This is a clear case of mixed messages from the council. If they are so badly funded this year and they are being forced to cut jobs, why have a jolly where they pat local councillors on the back for all those late night meetings they endure. Councillors are volunteers. They know what they are letting themselves in for when they ask local people to vote for them. This is a slap in the face to anyone at the council who is concerned about losing their job.