Gifts given to Liverpool city councillors include Test cricket tickets, trips to China, and a chocolate bar
Tickets to an international cricket match, trips to China and a chocolate bar are among the gifts given to Liverpool city councillors in the last six months.
New documents have revealed how between May and the start of this month, 31 offers were accepted by members worth more than £3,600.
As part of its code of conduct, elected officials are required to formally declare any gift of hospitality they may have been offered of at least £50 in value within 28 days of it being received. In the past these have ranged from cheese, wine and dinners out.
Among the gifts accepted include travel and accommodation provided for Cllr Nick Small, cabinet member for growth and economy, worth £2,750 to events in China. The City Centre North councillor also accepted an £80 ticket to the England v India Test Match at Old Trafford in July from Tata Consultancy Services.
Any significant offer put forward to councillors that is rejected is also required to be registered with the city’s monitoring officer. A report released ahead of the council’s standards and ethics committee meeting at Liverpool Town Hall next week detailed the total number of offers made, accepted and declined.
In the six month period, 47 offers were made that have been declared by city councillors. Of those, eight were made to Lord Mayor Barbara Murray including flowers, peppercorn in a box and a bar of chocolate from Liverpool Football Club.
In his role as city council leader, a number of offers are made to Cllr Liam Robinson. Among those accepted were a ticket to the World Boxing Championships held at the M&S Bank Arena and the BBC Radio One Big Weekend breakfast reception.
Cllr Robinson however did turn down the opportunity to watch Speedo Mick – The Musical at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre. His colleague, Cllr Small, received travel and accommodation from the Liverpool China Partnership, Ningbo and Shanghai City Governments, and the UK Foreign Office for trips to China between May and September.
Combined with training and awareness sessions on the requirements of the code, this helps to ensure councillors are aware of and comply with expected standards of conduct in public office.”
According to a report to members, logging of rejected offers ensures “that councillors are transparent in the receipt of gifts and hospitality and that the council upholds high standards of conduct and embeds strong ethical governance.”