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by admin on 12 March, 2013
Questions are being asked after Southwark’s Labour leader went on a trip to the South of France this week as a guest of property developers.
Council leader Peter John is currently in Cannes on the French Riviera where he is attending an international property show. The tab is being picked up by Australian property firm Lend Lease, who are lead developers for the Heygate regeneration scheme at Elephant and Castle.
Ironically it comes only weeks after Cllr John told local press he would rather be in Peckham than Paris “any day” in response to a new advertising campaign by low-cost airline Easyjet.
Details about the Cannes trip were only released after local journalists questioned the council about who was paying for it.
Responding, leader of Southwark Liberal Democrats Cllr Anood Al-Samerai said:
“The leader of the council should be sorting out problems in the borough rather than clinking glasses in the South of France. When Labour can’t even get the basics right on things like housing and street cleaning, he should be spending more time running the council and less time on jollies.”
“After accepting perks worth thousands of pounds last summer, this trip raises even more questions about the cosy relationship between Labour councillors and big property developers. For starters, exactly what is Lend Lease paying for, and when was this trip arranged? Couldn’t they have just given us an extra council home instead?”
“It is very telling that the trip was kept secret until local media got wind of it. They know it looks bad, which is why they are embarrassed to come clean about it.”
Last summer Cllr John was criticised for accepting premium tickets to the Olympic opening ceremony, also given to him by Lend Lease.
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