Westminster planning committee ex-chair received 514 'freebies' in three years including dinners, trips and tickets to musicals

Deputy Leader of Westminster Council Robert Davis has offered himself for investigation after revelations he received 514 "freebies" in three years.

Averaging 14 instances of gifts, hospitality and free trips a month since 2015, Councillor Davis met with some of the country's most prominent developers during his tenure as chairman of the planning committee.

Any hospitality received by Mr Davis, over the value of £25 has to be declared under council rules, meaning the minimum value of his declared hospitality is around £13,000, however the real value may be much higher.

Perks taken by Mr Davis include tickets to West End musicals worth hundreds as well as dinners at the capital's most coveted restaurants including Sexy Fish, Scott's, The Cinnamon Club and the Ivy revealed The Guardian.

Many of the perks were offered by the leading property developers and he twice attended the notoriously flashy MIPIM property conference in southern France, all paid for by developers.

Mr Davis maintains there has been absolutely no wrongdoing in his 36 years as a Westminster councillor and has asked the monitoring officer to investigate his disclosures.

Despite this, his local Labour opposition has called for an end to hospitality from developers and a "clean up" of the planning system in the borough.

They point at the borough's poor record fulfilling their affordable housing target, building just 12% affordable housing in 2013 and 2016, well short of the 35% target.

Labour Councillor Adam Hug said: “Councillors should have a transparent relationship with developers and other powerful interests so that residents can be assured that their representatives are fighting for them rather than dining out on developers’ expense accounts.”

Cllr Robert Davis said: “I have decided to refer myself to the authority’s monitoring officer. I am absolutely clear I have not broken any rules, but given recent attention I believe this is the right step to take so that can be shown to be the case, and to reassure residents of this.

“Throughout my 36 years at Westminster City Council, I have had only one aim; to serve the people of Westminster.

“I have always been scrupulously open in my register of interests precisely to ensure transparency."

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