IRAN'S state broadcaster paid a Harrow councillor to give a speech – one of several gifts and hospitality treats declared by the borough's elected representatives for 2010.
To avoid accusations of cronyism, all members of Harrow Council have to record all the presents or treats in kind they receive although only seven councillors actually entered anything on the publicly accessible register.
Councillor Kairul Kareema Marikar (Labour) declared on November 15 a £70 payment given to her by the London bureau of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting for a presentation she gave on 'Muslim women in Europe'.
Fellow party councillor for West Harrow ward, Councillor Brian Gate – who has been the council's portfolio holder for schools and colleges since May - accepted a meal and wine of unknown value at Ruislip's Barn Hotel from St Dominic's Sixth Form College in Harrow on the Hill.
Labour Edgware councillor Nana Asante let it be known in November she earned £70 for a television interview the previous month with the Sarah Network about the importance of women participating in politics and mothers as role models.
Conservative Tony Ferrari (Conservative), the former portfolio holder for property and major contracts, declared on December 29 2009 he had received two bottles of drink and two boxes of chocolates from a resident worth £25 while fellow Tory Councillor Paul Osborn recorded on June 1 that he had been a guest at Professional Planning Forum Awards Dinner at the expense of consultancy firm Capita, which is the council's partner in the 10-year 'business transformation project' contract to introduce new technology and save money.
Labour councillor Varsha Parmar had two entries on September 26: she attended with the Mayor of Harrow Asad Omar a 40th anniversary community celebration at Byron Hall in Christchurch Avenue, Wealdstone, where he received a commemorative glass plaque.
A member of the council's pension fund investments panel, Councillor Richard Romain (Conservative), declared on October 7 receipt of a gift of a Smythson leather pocket notebook from Wellington Finance, a financial planning firm, to an unknown value.
On the same day he attended a presentation by the same company at a London hotel.
On May 12 he registered a goody bag contains books and a jigsaw taken from a Harrow Pension Fund Investment Panel investor forum and attended a meeting in the City of London where gifts were presented.
