Coventry council officers accepted more than £2,000 worth of hospitality last year, new documents reveal. This included meals, sports events, and even a £500 trip to Greece.
The council justified these gifts and trips as opportunities to represent the city, develop relationships, and attend networking events. However, the full list of gifts and hospitality will now be reviewed by an Ethics Committee on 20 March to ensure transparency.
£620 Worth of Sports Hospitality – Including the Royal Box
Some hospitality was missed from a previous report — including £620 worth of events attended by the Chief Executive.
This included a coveted seat in the Royal Box at Wembley for Coventry City’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. Other events included a local summit, a senior public officials’ dinner at PWC, and the regional tourism awards.
The Chief Executive justified these as essential for representing the council and building connections.
£500 Trip to Greece for a Drone Project
One of the biggest expenses came from a trip to Greece, costing around £485.
The council’s Transport Innovation Manager attended an event organised by EU partners to present Coventry’s work in the drone sector and urban air mobility. The costs were covered by the project, with no personal gifts attached to the trip.
Private Dinners at Real Estate Conference
Senior officers also accepted £565 worth of hospitality at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) last May.
The hospitality included private lunches and dinners with representatives from the public and private sectors. The council stated these were valuable for networking and securing future investment.
Smaller Perks and Gifts
Not all hospitality was grand. Some officers received modest gifts:
- Flowers were sent for helping a TV company borrow a school crossing patrol uniform for an extra.
- A staff member was gifted chocolates, flowers, bubble bath, and a candle from a foster family after completing their assessment.
Under council rules, officers can accept gifts under £50 with a manager’s approval. Gifts over that amount should be declared or donated.
Councillors Took Their Share Too
Councillors declared £482 worth of hospitality in the second half of 2024.
Conservative leader Cllr Gary Ridley accepted £300 worth of hospitality at a cricket match, citing it as an opportunity to represent Coventry and build regional links.
Two Labour councillors also received free theatre tickets:
- Cllr Ram Lakha accepted seven tickets worth a combined £122 for events at the Belgrade and Albany theatres.
- Cllr Maya Ali accepted three tickets worth £60 for a show at the Albany Theatre.
Both justified the gifts as showing support for Coventry’s arts sector.
Council Defends Hospitality
The council maintains that attending events and accepting gifts is part of normal working life. Meals during meetings and invitations to social events are permitted under council rules.
A council spokesperson said:
“Routine declaration of gifts and hospitality protects elected members from unfounded allegations of bias and supports transparent decision-making.”
Full details of the report will be discussed at the Ethics Committee on 20 March.
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