More than £2,000 was spent on a Reading councillor’s trip abroad, it has been revealed.
Before he became mayor, Cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) visited Reading in Pennsylvania, to join celebrations of the US city’s 275th anniversary.
During the visit, he joined Democrat mayor Eddie Moran and delegates from the UK, Reutlingen in Germany. Activities included watching an orchestral performance and a fireworks display from the city’s Japanese style Pagoda.
Cllr Page represented the mayoralty as Cllr Rachel Eden and her deputy, Cllr Debs Edwards, were unable to attend.
Cllr Eden did view the ceremony virtually, where it was noted that Reading UK was the settlement’s ‘mother city’.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the council submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed that his flights cost £2,099.91, paid as an expense by Reading Borough Council.
Cllr Page said he also visited factories during brief private remarks to the LDRS.
Alderman Tony Jones, who had around 30 years of experience as a Reading councillor, first being elected in 1984, also attended the trip, but no council money was paid to fund his visit.
Mr Jones said: “I can confirm that I made my own travel arrangements and paid my own travel expenses for the visit to Reading, PA.”
Elsewhere, Cllr Edwards (Labour, Southcote), visited Clonmel in Ireland for that town’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations from Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, March 18. Flights to the sister town to Reading cost taxpayers £477.16.
And last year, Cllr Rachel Eden (Labour, Whitley) visited Dusseldorf, another sister city, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the town twinning arrangement. Flights cost £431.84.
A Reading Borough Council spokesperson said: “The Council will always be very proud of its links with our twin towns.
“These are long-standing friendships forged over very many years, some born of support offered by our town to these communities during challenging times, or others as a result of links with communities which reflect Reading’s own diverse communities.
“Examples include Reading’s link with Dusseldorf forged by Phoebe Cusden 76 years ago when Berkshire residents generously donated food and other supplies to the people of Dusseldorf after the Second World War, or links with Reading PA forged in 2001 after the September 11 attacks.
“Our twinning with Speightstown, Barbados, came about as the result of the large Barbadian population in Reading, and links with Clonmel were created because of Reading’s large Irish population.”
They added the friendships with our global neighbours are “high valued” and help form part of the rich history and fabric of Reading.
“As such it is important these relationships are maintained with occasional visits, and these visits are reciprocated when representatives from linked towns travel to Reading, which we are always happy to host,” the spokesperson added.
