Council deputy leader in hospitality rumpus
Jon Austin, Echo 27 January 2009 read article in Echo

Complaint about football tickets and posh dinners

A COUNCILLOR has been accused of breaching the code of conduct by repeatedly accepting hospitality from firms doing business with Basildon Council.
   Spurs fan Tony Ball, council deputy leader, has enjoyed a number of premiership football matches, often at White Hart Lane, and swanky dinners on authority partners.
   Since 2005 Mr Ball has declared 46 gifts or hospitality from companies such as housing associations Swan, Family Mosaic, Circle Anglia, Genesis Housing, former housing repairs contractor Inspace, and developers Lovell and Bradgate Developments.
   David Harrison, of Wickford Action Group, which campaigns against over-development, has made a complaint about the hospitality which could be referred to the Standards Board for England.
   The complaint says Mr Ball declared six football and three cricket matches and several dinners in the council members' register of interests.
   The council code of conduct says members should not be "seen to accept" gifts or hospitality from council suppliers or contractors or others that could benefit from the authority, as it could give rise to allegations of a breach.
   Mr Ball registered a trip to White Hart Lane in November from Family Mosaic, which is part of development consortium Community Solutions for Regeneration, the only one bidding for the council contract to deliver the £150million Wickford master-plan.
   In November he had dinner on Swan, following the signing of the Craylands regeneration contract, managed by the housing association, at posh London restaurant Langhams Brasserie.
   Other London venues Swan has paid for were Terence Conran-owned Quaglinos and the Brewery
   Mr Harrison, a Shotgate parish councillor, raised the matter at a full council meeting. He said: "Would the leader accept that councillor Ball is perceived to be in direct contravention of the constitution?
   "In the 40 months up to July 2008, he had been wined and dined and given gifts on no less than 43 occasions from companies in the form of dinners, lunches, premier league football matches, county cricket and numerous gifts."
   Ray McKay, council spokesman, said: "The code is for guidance and senior councillors will balance the advice given with their other responsibility to use every' opportunity offered to present the council's policies and views to partners and businesses, including taking part in the normal working practices of the commercial world.
   "There has been no suggestion the surroundings in which meetings may have taken place have had any influence whatsoever on the views eventually expressed by those taking part."

I COMPLIED WITH CODE OF CONDUCT
DEPUTY Council leader Tony Ball said he would seek legal advice about injuncting this article.
   He later issued a statement through solicitor, fellow Conservative councillor David Dadds of Palmers Solicitors, in response to the action group claims.
   The statement from Palmers Solicitors said, Mr Ball had complied with the code of conduct.
It said: "Our client also sets out that members of the council have a significant role to play in influencing, determining and then communicating policies and the general direction of development proposals.
   "Ensuring this message is well known to interested developers can be achieved informally at conferences, informal meetings and other events. Our client confirms that during 2008, based on the information presently before him, he has been to 16 events during the preceding 12 months and that officers of the council have attended on 14 occasions with him and were invited to the others.
   "Events where officers were not present were the latest White Hart Lane football match when councillor Andrew Baggott accompanied him, and the dinner at Langhams Brasserie."
   The statement added: "During 2007, based on the information presently before him, he has been invited on five occasions to events where officers have been invited and attended. It is normal practice for officers of the council to be present at such events. 
   "Our client says that councillor Harrison has his own political agenda in relation to the questions asked and that he opposes the improvement and redevelopment of Wickford.
   "Our client confirms he has complied with the requirements to record any gifts of hospitality and that those are open to members of the public at any time and to conform that there has been no allegations made about our client not completing the register."