London council splashes out on £90,000 Rolls-Royce for bigwigs as it cuts childcare

'Unjustifiable spend': officials use a Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph
Rex
David Churchill18 January 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Westminster today came under fire for spending tens of thousands of pounds on chauffeur-driven cars as it prepares to slash funded childcare for primary pupils.

The council was criticised as figures revealed the “unjustifiable” spend on a Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph and Audi A8L. The Lord Mayor, six former Lord Mayors and five Alderman of the City have access to the vehicles for hundreds of “engagements” every year.

Westminster spent nearly £30,000 leasing the Audi over the last three years.

It spent a further £11,800 running it along with the Rolls-Royce, which it bought for £90,000, last year alone.

Thousands more were spent on fuel, congestion charges, insurance and repairs and maintenance on running both in the previous two years.

The Freedom of Information figures came as it emerged last month that nearly 50 play workers and support staff were set to be axed as part of plans to cut youth services.

The staff, who provide after-school and holiday play sessions for hundreds of children at schools and community centres across the borough, look set to lose their jobs as part of plans to save £152,000 this year, and £170,000 next (2016/17), from the Children’s Centres, Youth Provision and Play Provision budgets.

The local authority is cutting £1.3 million overall, meaning spending on subsidies to help working parents pay for childcare looks set to be slashed.

A spokesman today confirmed that subsidies for parents will no longer be offered “universally”.

Karen Buck, Labour MP for Westminster North, said: “Other councils are doing far better at protecting their children’s and youth services. This is also a question of priorities.

"Spending tens of thousands on chauffeured cars and on private health care for senior staff cannot be justified while children’s centres are closing, school-age childcare being ended and most funding being withdrawn from the youth service.”

Helena Krawitz, 38, who led a campaign against proposed cuts to a drop-in nursery at Essendine School, said: “It rankles with me that the council can be creative enough to ask for a cut in children’s services, and doesn’t look at the way it’s operating in other departments.

"It is very irritating it continues to focus cuts on the services it provides and not the way it acts itself.”

Westminster says it bought the Rolls-Royce in 2002 and costs were constantly under “review”. It also said the 46 childcare staff affected in the cuts were the equivalent of 16 full-time roles.

A spokesman added: “At a time of reduced government funding we have to make a number of changes to the way we deliver all our services.

“This is why we are consulting with parents and carers who use our services. As with everything we constantly review the costs to see if alternative solutions would provide better value. Westminster’s Lord Mayor conducts as many as 600 civic duties across the borough in a year.”

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