I refer to your
Freedom of Information request in relation to Overnight stays -
Councillors.
Right of Access
Section 1(1) of the
Act provides any person making a request for information to a public authority
is entitled.
(a) to be informed in
writing by the public authority whether it holds information of the description
specified in the request (which Section 1(6) of the Act designates as the
"duty to confirm or deny"), and
(b) if that is the
case, to have that information communicated to him.
The right is to
obtain access to the information itself and not to the document or record which
contains it.
The Act creates a
general right of access to information held by public authorities subject to
various exemptions.
Northumberland County
Council confirms that it holds the information you have requested, please see
the attached following information in response.
Q.1 Details of trips
to London and other places requiring an overnight stay taken by Cllr Cath Homer
and Cllr Peter Jackson TOGETHER between May 2017 and August 2020
A.1 2/3 October 2017
Conservative Party
Conference booked by both Councillor Homer and Councillor Jackson, along with
others, booked by the Group and at no cost to the County Council. No other
information available. No confirmation of attendance available from third
parties.
3-5 July 2018
LGA Conference,
Birmingham, Overnight stay at Jurys Inn, Birmingham at a cost of £133.11 per
night per guest. Outside permissable limit, but approved by the Business Chair
for ease of travelling to/from the venue of the conference, which saved money
on transport fares. No confirmation of attendance available from third
parties.
11-14 June 2018
House of Lords
Reception for Cllr Homer and Cllr Jackson, Meetings with Government Officers
for Cllr Homer, LGA meeting for Cllr Jackson and Produced in Northumberland
Event for Cllr Homer and Cllr Jackson Overnight stay at the Premier Inn London
County Hall at a cost of £181.50 per room per night, with the third night’s
accommodation (booked nearer the time of the events) costing £191.00 per night.
Outside the permissable limit, but approved by the Business Chair because at
the time of booking it was peak time and all hotel costs were higher, but also
to save on the cost of transport to/from the venues. Cost of travel was £312.12
each for train fare. No confirmation of attendance available from third
parties.
1-3 October 2018
Conservative Party
Conference booked by both Councillor Homer and Councillor Jackson, along with
others, booked by the Group at no cost to the County Council. No other information
available. No confirmation of attendance available from third parties.
27-28 November 2018
27 November –
Historic England – Angel Awards – booked to attend for both Councillor Homer
and Councillor Jackson. 28 November – Discover our Land Ambassador appointments
and British Travel Awards. No record of any travel/overnight accommodation
costs.
4-6 March 2019
Attendance at the
Annual LGA Tourism Conference by Councillor Homer and Councillor Jackson. Cost
of conference for Councillor Jackson was £358.80, Councillor Homer – no record
of any costs for attending the conference. Travel costs were £229.50 each for
train. No accommodation costs paid for by the Council. No confirmation of
attendance available from third parties.
1-4 July 2019
LGA Annual Conference
in Bournemouth booked to attend for Councillor Homer and Councillor Jackson,
with another Councillor. Accommodation was at Bournemouth West Cliff Hotel,
£87.22 per person, per night. Flight for Councillor Homer and Councillor
Jackson was £200.99 per person. No confirmation of attendance available from
third parties.
30 September-2
October 2019
Conservative Party
Conference booked to attend for both Councillor Homer and Councillor Jackson,
along with others, booked by the Group at no cost to the County Council. No
other information available. No confirmation of attendance available from third
parties.
26-28 November 2019
British Travel Awards
and various meetings with Ministers – overnight accommodation at the Premier
Inn London County Hall at a cost of £169.50 per person, per room, per night,
which is outside the permissable limit, but approved by the Business Chair as,
again, it saved on transport costs travelling from the hotel to the various
commitments in London, which would have incurred taxi fares. Rail costs were
£124.00 each for travel to London and £70.00 each for return travel, total cost
of £194.00 return. No confirmation of attendance available from third parties.
No confirmation of attendance available from third parties.
Q.2 On trips to
London taken together by Cllr Homer and Cllr Jackson, details of the cost of
the travel and accommodation between May 2017 and August 2020.
A.2 Please see
response to Q.1
Q.3 Confirmation of
the names of the hotel(s) used and whether the hotel(s) used in London were
within the prescribed and permissible claim bands agreed by the Council at the
time of the booking.
A.3 Please see
response to Q.1
Q.4 Confirmation
whether an exception was made for Cllr Jackson and Cllr Homer to stay in hotels
outside of the normal claim limit for over night stays in London and who
authorised these to be booked.
A.4 Please see
response to Q.1
Q.5 Provide me with
the published NCC claim limits for hotel accommodation in London and when any
changes were made to allow Cllr Homer and Cllr Jackson to book hotels outside
of the then published limits.
A.5 Please see the
attached: April Allowances April 2019
Q.6 On stays in
London, details of all expenses relating to food and drink claimed by Cllr
Jackson and Cllr Homer.
A.6 No claims have
been claimed for in the travel system.
Q.7 Any evidence you
have of proof that their trips were on council business including confirmation
by third parties that they attended said meetings.
A.7 Please see
response to Q.1
Complaints
If you are unhappy
with the way your request for information has been handled, you can request an
internal review by writing within 2 months from the date of this response to the
Information Governance Office:
Information
Governance Office
Northumberland County
Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF”
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