In a message to Liberal Democrats in Blaydon, Councillor Peter Maughan, who represents Dunston Hill and Whickham East on Gateshead Council and was the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency of Blaydon in the last General Election, has slammed Gateshead Council for its Council Tax rise.
Councillor Maughan said, "Whilst imposing one of the biggest Council Tax rises in the country, Gateshead's Labour Council have nonetheless failed to try to save money from the most basic and straightforward cancellation of Councillor freebies.
"I constantly receive invitations from Gateshead Council to go on trips to see this or that facility in another part of the country and trips to Keilder Reservoir or down the river or whatever the case may be which frankly in most cases serve no useful purpose except to have a jolly day out for the Councillors who go.
"Worse still the Council is paying at least - and these figures are by the Council's own admission - £37,279.00 for membership of the Association of Councillors and jolly weekends away for Councillors to so called training courses the training element of which is modest if not minimal.
"The people of Gateshead should be aware that Gateshead Council lavishes these expensive trips on Councillors whilst closing libraries at Lobley Hill and Ryton and putting up Council Tax almost to the maximum allowed by the Government.
"Is it not time that Gateshead Council was brought to book by its residents who need look only across the river to see the savings - yes often at the expense of Councillors - which Newcastle's Liberal Democrat Council have made so as to maximise the services provided to residents and minimise the Council Tax charged to those residents."
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