China visits

Wells City Council, Somerset did not have the information requested.

Please provide the following information. I make this request under the Freedom of Information Act.

1) From 1 January 2017 to the day of your response to this request, please provide information on the number of trips to China taken by council officials (both elected and unelected) in the course of conducting council business.

For each trip, please provide the following information:

- The date and duration of the overseas trip, as well as the Chinese city that was visited.
- The full name, title and position of the council officials who went on the overseas trip as well as the number of people who travelled.
- The reason or reasons why the council officials went on the trip and an explanation as to how the trip benefited the council.
- A list of places the officials visited and the people they met (please provide as much detail as possible)
- The cost of the trip (please provide a breakdown of costs including travel costs, accommodation costs, expenses and any other costs).
- Please state whether the council met the costs of the trip, or whether an individual, group, company, consortium, charity or another organisation met the costs, including Chinese companies or government bodies.
- Please provide the full name of the individual, group, company, charity or organisation that met the costs. If it is a group or consortium, please state who or what composes the group or consortium.
- Details of any gifts received by the officials, their value and which organisation, individual gave them gift.
- Details of any financial benefits received by the council as a result of the trip - eg free office space in China.
- A copy of the itinerary for each trip.

I would like to receive the information electronically.

If you feel that a substantive response to this request is not possible within a reasonable time frame, or the request is too broad or too vague, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide assistance as to how I could refine the request under your Section 16 obligations.

Yours faithfully,

Dean Kirby

townclerk@wells.gov.uk, Wells City Council, Somerset

Hi Dean,
Wells City Council is a Parish Council and therefore do not fund any oversea trips for staff or councillors,
Regards,
Steve

Steve Luck
Town Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer

Wells City Council
Town Hall, Market Place
Wells, Somerset,
BA5 2RB
Email: [Wells City Council, Somerset request email]
Tel: 01749 673091 (8.30am -1.00pm)
Mobile Tel; 07818027953
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