Camden New Journal - News: Leader on course for a South African lesson

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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 8 November 2007

Leader on course for a South African lesson

CAMDEN’S Council chief has defended plans to use public cash to fly to South Africa for a course on how to be a better leader.
Liberal Democrat Keith Moffitt, the most senior politician at the Town Hall, said he understood why the opposition Labour group had challenged the trip, which will cost the council more than £3,000, but added he was confident the expedition would prove worthwhile.
Cllr Moffitt plans to jet off on Sunday for a week in the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, a province formerly known as the East Rand of Johannesburg.
He will see how local authorities team up with the central government.
He said: “It is a place where there has been massive changes and we can learn from the new ways of working. I’m not sure if they have cracked it yet but it will be interesting to see the fresh ideas. I can see why Labour would query the trip, I’d expect them to, it’s their job to challenge us but I am always very careful about spending public money.
“This is a cross-party initiative and there will be a Labour member from another part of London going. It is a course on leadership and I’m hoping some good ideas come from it.”
It has been organised by the Leadership Centre for Local Government, a Whitehall offshoot. It will pick up the rest of the travel and expenses bill.
Participants for the trips are hand-picked by a panel including Westminster Council leader Sir Simon Milton. The course prospectus said: “Although South Africa has many problems that are different to the UK, there are fresh ideas that can be applied here. It is the ability to improve and develop systems in complex circumstances and deliver sustainable benefits for residents that makes South Africa a valuable place to study.”
Cllr Moffitt said he had a consistent line when it came to council-funded trips. When the New Journal investigated councillor travel expenses two years ago and found former Labour councillor John Thane had jetted around Europe for a series of conferences, Cllr Moffitt was cautious to criticise and said some of the travel was worthwhile.
Labour councillor Jonathan Simpson said: “There may be councillors from all parties going on these trips but in Camden you have to look at the timing and the context of it. The cost will stick in the throat of the voluntary groups that were told that their grants would be cut.
“Of course, money needs to be spent on training but people will be questioning why there is money for Cllr Moffitt to go on a trip to South Africa after such savage budget cuts earlier this year.”

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