Councilors wasting my tax on lavish silver service away’ day!

Dear Ed,

I AM absolutely disgusted to learn from the East London Advertiser’s online report that Tower Hamlets’ council leader and his obedient cabinet members are wasting our hard-earned council tax on lavishing themselves and 10 senior officers with a luxury four-star hotel stay inclusive of silver-service in a country mansion at Maidstone, Kent (Advertiser website, July 17).

This away’ day should have rightly been organised in the Town Hall which has the adequate space and facilities, especially due to the global economic crisis where thousands are losing jobs.

If a change of scenery was deemed desirable, many venues in the East End could have served this need, also generating economic benefits to local businesses and organisations.

We are a deprived borough with high levels of poverty and families with low incomes. Surely these high-earning officers are supposed to be able to do their job in the environment they serve, not be whisked away on a treat most East Enders can only dream of?

Even if they travelled on the Saturday, we would have saved a wad of cash on unnecessary hotel accommodation. I wonder if we also have to pay senior officers for giving up their time on a Saturday.

By having this luxury break away from Tower Hamlets means we have to lump the cost not only of four-star luxury hotel rooms, but also for their grand meals, teas, coffees, drinks, snacks, meeting room hire, and travel costs from East London to Maidstone. I bet we are also having to cough-up for their taxi-rides!

The hotel website says the Grade I-listed country manor has been home to lords and viscounts.

I am finally left wondering that perhaps they should have opted to make better use of New Labour peer Baroness Uddin’s apparently available’ residence in Maidstone.

Sara Cox

Columbia Road, Bethnal Green