A CORNWALL Councillor has spoken out against the local authority following news that it has reportedly forked out almost £5,000 to send the deputy leader on a leadership course in America.

Cllr Barry Jordan, Conservative Cornwall Councillor for the Tintagel ward, has criticised Cornwall Council after he discovered it will be sending deputy leader Julian German to Boston, USA, for a leadership course at a suggested total cost of £4,950 of public money.

Cllr Jordan recently approached the council’s chief executive Kate Kennally for answers, who he claims did not deny the accusations, revealing that a total of £4,950 would be spent on sending Cllr German on the US course, excluding the cost of food, lodgings and travelling to London, where he will depart. Cllr Jordan has said the move is ‘appalling’.

“I think it is appalling,” he told the Post. “To announce in October that they will be sending a member of management on a leadership course in May, which is six months away — I just think it’s disgraceful.

“As amazing as America is, it is a very different place to Great Britain. The Americans are very different from us, and the way they do things will not work for us in England. The British and American people don’t understand things the same, therefore it will never work!”

Cllr Jordan said there is no point in sending Cllr German on a leadership course. “You can’t train to be a leader — you’re either a leader or you’re not,” he continued. “I think it is a total waste of public money, and he may not be leader next year anyway. The public needs to know just how much money is being wasted.”

With the council set to spend large amounts on Cornwall-based projects and initiatives, along with increases in staff and other payments, Cllr Jordan can’t believe it when the council claims to ‘not have any money’.

“They keep saying they need to save money, yet they’re sending someone on a £5,000 leadership course. This needs to be made public, and it shouldn’t be kept a secret — it’s public money after all.

“On top of all his wages, being deputy leader, Cllr German gets this too — and it’s all public money. It’s a bad way of operating, in my opinion.”

The Post has learned that the course is part of the Future Vision leadership programme, run for public sector leaders. The local authority has said that the Leadership Centre, which runs the programme, funds half of the costs of the course, while participants ‘make a contribution’.

A Cornwall Council spokesperson confirmed it was Cllr German booked on the course. The breakdown of costs for the course, which inclused sessions in the UK as well as the trip to Boston, was £3,900, with a further £941.69 in travel costs.

They added: “Future Vision is a long established leadership programme for public sector leaders run by the Leadership Centre, which is hosted by the Local Government Association. The Leadership Centre funds half of the costs of the programme; participants make a contribution.”

Participants on the programme include senior elected politicians, senior executives and sector leaders from organisations such as the NHS and chief executives and senior directors from the civil service. According to the council, the programme is by invitation only and to date, 61 councillors from all political persuasions from across England have participated in the programme and its earlier iteration.

The council spokesperson continued: “The programme allows people to tap into global expertise and knowledge on emerging trends and issues in society and in public service delivery, whilst working on a real life project.

“In an uncertain and changing world, the programme helps leaders think about how they lead organisations, people and places into the future.

“The council also actively supports members with an annual development programme. This supports local training opportunities for all councillors in Cornwall, as well as more tailored programmes and opportunities at a national level.

“It is also incorrect to suggest councillors are paid significant salaries. Councillors receive an allowance of £14,188.74 per annum.”