Gifts galore as councillors publish their freebies

TICKETS FOR CRICKET, FOOTBALL, BALLET AND OZZY'S FINAL VILLA GIG AMONG THE FREEBIES ENJOYED IN THE PAST YEAR

- ALEXANDER BROCK

GIG tickets, Black Sabbath trainers and Pride VIP tickets worth more than £2,000 were among the gifts received by Birmingham councillors in the past year.

Under a code of conduct adopted by Birmingham City Council, councillors are required to disclose any gifts or hospitality over £50.

And latest info shows these freebies have included football and cricket matches, theatre tickets and shows at Villa Park.

Deputy leader Sharon Thompson accepted tickets for a Villa Park concert partly “to hold AVFC masterplan discussions”, and also received Black Sabbath customised Adidas trainers valued at £115.

Erdington councillor Gareth Moore accepted 15 VIP weekend tickets from Birmingham Pride this year - worth £2,100 - as a “partnership working with business and LGBT community.”

The city council said maintaining a register protects elected members from unfounded allegations of bias and makes decision making transparent.

Government-appointed commissioners, sent in to oversee the council’s recovery, have also previously said that such transparency is “crucial in building and maintaining trust in the integrity of the democratic process”.

Here's a look at the gifts worth more than £50 that councillors have received in the past year since September 2024.

➤ Deirdre Alden (Conservative, Edgbaston)

Earlier this year, Cllr Alden was given a year's annual honorary membership to Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The cost was unknown but a family annual pass is £75.

The reason for accepting the gift was that the Botanical Gardens are within her ward.

She was also offered two T20 cricket matches with hospitality, in the chairman's lounge courtesy of Warwickshire Cricket Club. The cost was unknown but estimated at £100. The reason was listed as: “I meet regularly with senior people at the club and I am on the safety advisory group for Edgbaston.”

➤ Robert Alden (Conservative, Erdington)