Wirral Council bosses’ China trip cost £8,000

Oct 22 2008 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

A TRIP to China by Wirral Council’s leader and senior council officers cost almost £8,000.

During the trip to Suzhou, near Shanghai, last month Councillor Steve Foulkes agreed with the mayor of one of China’s largest centres of commerce to develop “full economic co-operation”.

The meeting was hailed as a coup for the borough, as it bids to see the development of the multi-billion pound Wirral Waters scheme with Peel Holdings.

Peel has said links with Chinese investors will be key to the long-term prosperity of their ambitious project in Wirral’s docklands.

The trip cost £6,021 for flights, £1,200 for accommodation and transport in China, £240 to travel to and from the airport, £240 for visas, £46 for incidental airport expenses and about £100 for inoculations.

The total cost was £7,847.