islington-news-bill

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 9 November 2007

Helen Bailey

£3,000 bill for council boss trip

ISLINGTON Council has defended plans to use £3,000 of public funds to fly chief executive Helen Bailey to South Africa for a 10-day course on “how to be a better leader”.
Ms Bailey, who will be staying at a three-star hotel in the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, will apply lessons learned from South Africa’s complex political structure to her work in Islington.
Ms Bailey was unavailable for comment yesterday but a council spokeswoman said: “The South African local government system exists within a complex environment that is changing dramatically and rapidly, throwing up tough challenges. So is ours.”
Islington Council is stumping up £3,000 for the three-module course, although the South Africa trip constitutes only one module. The trip has been organised by the Leadership Council for Local Government. It will be subsidising expenses and travel costs and Ms Bailey will be making a personal contribution.
Labour leader Catherine West, who only learned of the trip when informed by the Tribune, said: “I am planning on putting in an enquiry to see how many trips like these council officers have been sent on.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment:

Your Comments: