A COUNCIL leader's goodwill visit to China has started on a sour note after he came under attack over the cutting of a grant to the Leeds Chinese Community Association.
A Labour councillor has hit out at a decision to spend public money sending Coun Mark Harris, the Liberal Democrat leader of Leeds City Council, to the city’s twin city of Hangzhou while the authority chops cash given to support the work of the assoc
iation.
Coun Harris flew out today for his second visit to Hangzhou in just over a year. A trip in September 2004 cost the city £2,467.
The association had received a £5,000 council grant to help support its work, including the provision of a luncheon club. The money was cut earlier this year.
Coun Neil Taggart (Lab, Bramley & Stanningley) who represents the council on the Leeds Chinese Community Association board, said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard that Coun Harris was off to China for a second time at council taxpayers’ expense.
“I have been trying to persuade him to reinstate the cut his administration has made to the association’s grant and the importance of the work that the Chinese Community Association does in Leeds.
“I fully recognise the importance of maintaining links with Hangzhou but surely if we can spend £5,000 paying for the leader of the council to go there, we can spend the same amount supporting the Chinese community in Leeds.”
Coun Harris said: “The overall amount given to the Chinese community has not been reduced but the money has been allocated to a different part of the community.
“I only became aware of this a few weeks ago and have asked for a report on the levels of funding given to the different ethnic groups to see if we can offer further help.
“Coun Taggart and his group leader, Coun Keith Wakefield, know this because I have discussed it with them.”
