BRENT Council, like many others, is facing unprecedented financial pressures. We are in the midst of the harshest economic climate for many years and everyone is feeling the pinch.

It is therefore outrageous that Brent's newly elected Labour council seems oblivious to the atmosphere around it and think that it is acceptable to whisk themselves away for yet another stay at a luxury hotel in leafy Berkshire at a cost of £4,000 to the local taxpayer. Their second such trip in the last few months!

During the previous Conservative/Lib Dem administration, councillors and officers sensibly chose to hold their meetings at local facilities, such as Bridge Park, but it seems that Councillor Ann John, a Stonebridge councillor, nonetheless has deemed Stonebridge's facilities not good enough for her and her team.

Feasting on delicacies while cutting our services, shutting our libraries and reducing our bin collections is unacceptable and Councillor John and her Labour colleagues ought to be ashamed of themselves.

COUNCILLOR HARIHAR PATEL

Northwick Park Brent Council