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Jun 2023
Harrogate Borough Council spent almost £3,000 of taxpayers' money on booze for a staff party, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.
The party was held to mark the abolition of the council at the end of March — even though nearly all staff transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council the following day on the same terms.
The Stray Ferret reported last month the party cost £14,910. But a full breakdown of the costs, including the amount spent on alcohol, was not known.
The FoI has now revealed the costs included £1,438 on beer, cider and lager, £630 on wine and £587 on spirits. Just £376 was spent on soft drinks.
The council also spent £4,745 on food, £450 on a DJ, £765 on event staff and £302 on decorations. A further £5,556 went on technical equipment for the event, which was held at the council-owned Harrogate Convention Centre on February 23.
The party was held at Harrogate Convention Centre.
The Stray Ferret was alerted to the party by an unnamed source who said they were "appalled, disgusted and downright annoyed that this amount was spent without the prior knowledge and consent of the people paying for it”.
Conor Holohan, media campaign manager of the pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added:
Former Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper has declined to comment on council business since the authority was abolished.
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