The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) can today reveal the cost of flights by local authorities in Hampshire over the last two years. Our findings show that twelve councils in the county continue to use air travel and spent a total of £135,000 on flights over those two financial years. There are stark differences in the amounts spent by different authorities, with two councils spending no money on flights at all.
To read the full report, including a breakdown by local council, click here
The key findings of this research are:
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- More than £135,000 was spent on flights by councils in Hampshire between April 2009 and November 2011
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- Southampton City Council spent the most with a total of £55,687
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- Only 2 councils, Hart District and Havant Borough, did not pay for any flights
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- East Hampshire District and Fareham Borough Councils spent £342 on flights to attend a Local Government Association conference in Leeds
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- Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council spent almost £12,000 on flights to EU conferences paid for by taxpayers through EU budgets
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- Hampshire County Council spent £45,000 on flights, including £1,395 to send staff to an Assembly of European Regions Bureau meeting
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- Test Valley Borough Council spent £431 to send an employee to Chicago to attend the International Institute of Municipal clerks’ conference
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- Eastleigh Borough Council spent over £500 on flights to send staff on Arts and Tourism training
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- More than £5,500 was spent on flights for on twinning visits between April 2009 and November 2011. This includes £2,168 by Fareham Borough Council visiting Vannes in France and Pulheim in Germany; £1,696 spent by Gosport Borough Council visiting Royan in France; and £1,457 by Rushmoor Borough Council visiting Oberursel in Germany
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- Hampshire County Council spent £101 on a flight to Brussels on a fact-finding visit for a new member of staff to increase their knowledge of EU opportunities to help secure additional grants
John Henvest, Hampshire TPA activist, said:
"It is shocking that some council staff have been jetting around at taxpayers' expense. These local authorities need to find millions in savings in the coming years and with modern technology like video conferencing they needn't spend large sums of taxpayers' money on plane tickets. It is great that two authorities in Hampshire were prudent and didn't spend a penny of taxpayers' money on flights, however, others need to control the amount being spent on air travel."
The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) can today reveal the cost of flights by local authorities in Hampshire over the last two years. Our findings show that twelve councils in the county continue to use air travel and spent a total of £135,000 on flights over those two financial years. There are stark differences in the amounts spent by different authorities, with two councils spending no money on flights at all.
To read the full report, including a breakdown by local council, click here
Click here for the complete press release
The key findings of this research are:
-
- More than £135,000 was spent on flights by councils in Hampshire between April 2009 and November 2011
-
- Southampton City Council spent the most with a total of £55,687
-
- Only 2 councils, Hart District and Havant Borough, did not pay for any flights
-
- East Hampshire District and Fareham Borough Councils spent £342 on flights to attend a Local Government Association conference in Leeds
-
- Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council spent almost £12,000 on flights to EU conferences paid for by taxpayers through EU budgets
-
- Hampshire County Council spent £45,000 on flights, including £1,395 to send staff to an Assembly of European Regions Bureau meeting
-
- Test Valley Borough Council spent £431 to send an employee to Chicago to attend the International Institute of Municipal clerks’ conference
-
- Eastleigh Borough Council spent over £500 on flights to send staff on Arts and Tourism training
-
- More than £5,500 was spent on flights for on twinning visits between April 2009 and November 2011. This includes £2,168 by Fareham Borough Council visiting Vannes in France and Pulheim in Germany; £1,696 spent by Gosport Borough Council visiting Royan in France; and £1,457 by Rushmoor Borough Council visiting Oberursel in Germany
-
- Hampshire County Council spent £101 on a flight to Brussels on a fact-finding visit for a new member of staff to increase their knowledge of EU opportunities to help secure additional grants
To read the full report, including a breakdown by local council, click here
Click here for the complete press release
John Henvest, Hampshire TPA activist, said:
"It is shocking that some council staff have been jetting around at taxpayers' expense. These local authorities need to find millions in savings in the coming years and with modern technology like video conferencing they needn't spend large sums of taxpayers' money on plane tickets. It is great that two authorities in Hampshire were prudent and didn't spend a penny of taxpayers' money on flights, however, others need to control the amount being spent on air travel."