More questions about Southwark council spending after £10k Tate Modern bash

Southwark council spent £10,000 on a launch ceremony for its borough plan held at Tate Modern – prompting yet more complaints about ‘irresponsible’ outlays from opposition benches.

Council leader Kieron Williams and deputy leader Cllr Jasmine Ali were among the over 100 guests who attended the ‘Southwark 2030’ event at the gallery on February 3.

A Freedom of Information request shows the Labour-run local authority’s bill for the event included nearly £4,000 spent on promotional materials and almost £2,000 on food and drink.

The council said it didn’t know how much money had been gone towards paying staff to organise and work at the event. The cost of hiring the room at Tate Modern and audiovisual equipment were covered by the gallery.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition, branded the event a waste of money. He said: “Yet again we’re seeing our Labour council squandering taxpayer’s cash on swanky show-off events that do nothing to improve the lives of Southwark’s residents.

“During a cost of living crisis, it’s frankly insulting to see so much money spent on self-promotional programmes. Southwark 2030 is all talk and no action. Fancy slogans won’t fix today’s mess – the council can’t even get the basics right now.”

In response, Southwark council said the refreshments were put on as a ‘small thank you’ to attendees of the event, including faith groups, businesses, schools, universities and public sector organisations.

A council spokesman added: “Southwark 2030 is a shared vision born from our communities – almost 2,000 local people helped to shape Southwark 2030 in conversations, workshops, listening events and online – and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who took part.

“We know that to tackle the inequalities that local people face, and help them reach their potential, it’s vital people come together and work together – no one organisation can do this on their own.

“The launch helped to bring different people together and was filled with people from our community who attended on their own time.”

Pictured top: The Tate Modern (Picture: Tate Modern)