Storm grows over Kensington & Chelsea Tory leader's overseas jaunts at taxpayers' expense

11.59.00am GMT Thu 3rd Dec 2009

Tory leader's 'Upper Class' American trips were paid for by residents

New documents relating to the more than £10,000 of originally undisclosed controversial expenses paid to Kensington & Chelsea Conservative leader Merrick Cockell have today been handed over to the District Auditor by the Liberal Democrats.

Robin Meltzer, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner for Kensington said: "Councillor Cockell travelled to three conferences in the United States at Council Tax payers' expense, flying Virgin Upper Class, staying in luxury hotels and eating in restaurants such as the Four Seasons in Manhattan.

"But new answers to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act have revealed that no written evidence has survived detailing any discussions about why these trips to BT Vision and Bloomberg conferences were paid for by Kensington & Chelsea residents."

The details of the overseas trips emerged because residents became suspicious about allegations of inappropriate use by Councillor Cockell of the Council's Civic Bentley."When the truth finally got out about what the Bentley was being used for, including a trip to Heathrow Airport on the way to one of these overseas trips, it set in motion a whole string of other revelations about expenses which Councillor Cockell had failed to disclose," said Robin Meltzer.

Now the Liberal Democrats have urged the District Auditor to widen the scope of an investigation into Councillor Cockell's expenses to incorporate an examination of whether the requests for such a high level of unusual overseas expenditure were considered with due diligence by the Council.

"At the end of the day, this is about accountability and it's about value for money - or lack of it - for tax payers." said Robin.

Related Links:

Read more: "I only used your Bentley to save money on taxis," says Cockell.

Read more: Lib Dems hand over evidence of Council Leader's expenses to District Auditor.