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Kingston councillor perks made public

4:55pm Monday 17th November 2008

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Perks given to Kingston councillors have been made public in the latest register of gifts and hospitality.

Leader of the council Councillor Derek Osbourne was entertained by the Korean Residents’ Society last year.

Deputy leader Coun Barry O’Mahony had lunch at City restaurant Smiths of Smithfields in April, as a guest of John Miles of Bishops Palace House.

Coun Ian and Mary Reid were invited to the Rotary Club President’s Dinner.

Coun Ian Reid was also given a taxi home from the best council to work for awards in August, in which Kingston came twenty-first.

Councillors must declare any gift or hospitality over the value of £25.

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Fred1, Surbiton says...
6:49am Tue 18 Nov 08

Can't say I envy any of them for these perks. An occasional dinner party is one thing - but dinner parties every night of the week with free accommodation thrown into the bargain is quite something else.

There's no suggestion that any decisions are likely to be influenced by such perks, is there? Especially such seemingly trivial ones?

I suppose it's good that they're made public, though, although I can't help think that perhaps it can be slightly embarrassing and stigmatizing for the councillors themselves. That's the sort of thing that potentially puts people off wanting to become councillors in the first place, in my opinion.

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Tony from Surbiton, Surbiton says...
10:00am Tue 18 Nov 08

I think the most interesting thing here is why Kingston Council only came 21st in the best council to work for awards, when we pay the highest council tax in London? Surely the staff must be sitting on big leather armchairs, drinking the finest coffee and using gold plated computers for the money we pay.

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