The Conservative Group on Cornwall Council has continued to ask questions about the Liberal Democrat leader of the council’s trip to Brussels to meet with EU Brexit negotiator Michael Barnier ahead of the trip this week.
Commenting, acting Conservative Group Leader Cllr Linda Taylor said:
“I am very concerned about the timing and motives of this trip by the Lib Dem leader of Cornwall Council to Brussels.”
“Firstly, it is way above his pay grade. The good people of Cornwall do not elect their councillors to swan off to Europe to take part in meetings that they have no influence over. This administration needs to get its priorities straight, potholes, toilets, adult social care, not another feckless waste of taxpayer by the Lib Dems who seem to live in a reality detached from the rest of Cornwall.”
“Coupled with the narrow passing of a vote by the Lib Dems to get Cornwall Council to support a so-called ‘People’s Referendum’, this move coming from an administration running a council that represents a Cornwall that voted heavily to leave runs the risk of sending mixed messages to the people we all represent, about where Cornwall Council’s priorities lie.”
“Freedom of Information Requests to Cornwall Council have not provided any costs so far, despite it taking place in only a few days’ time. As this is being paid for with Cornish taxpayer money, I really would have expected them to have learned from their disastrous foray to Cannes earlier this year and actually come up with the figures this time. Sadly this does not appear to be the case.”
“In December’s Full Council meeting Cornwall Council resolved to take steps to go paperless in coming years, something we were proud to support. It is good to see Cornwall Council as an organisation taking steps to be greener. It is a pity then, that we are seeing just weeks later the Leader and his entourage ratcheting up his carbon footprint by flying out for a meeting that has no defined purpose.”
“As Adam Paynter is standing down next year and the administration have already paid £5,000 to send who they hope to be his successor on a ‘leadership course’ in the US, you have to wonder whether this is just an excuse for Cllr Paynter to hit the continental Christmas markets to grab some last minute bargains.”
“The Conservatives on Cornwall Council will continue to represent the people we are there to serve and hold this incompetent administration to account.”
