Every overseas work trip by Leeds councillors over five years - and how much it cost the taxpayer

The council said these trips were important to represent Leeds on the world stage, and to attract overseas investment into the region. They also insisted councillors would never travel first class.

Below we have documented every single overseas work trip taken by councillors between 2013 and 2018, how much it cost the council, as well as details of the reasons for each visit.

2017/18

Councillor: Jane Dowson (Lord Mayor)Destination: Passchendaele, Belgium.Date(s): 07/09/17-09/07/17Cost to council: £202.02Total cost: £202.02Reason for visit: To attend events in commemoration of WWI.

Councillor: Mohammed RafiqueDestination: Lagos, NigeriaDate(s): 24/09/17-27/09/17Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £1,740.63Reason for visit: To attend a conference on Socially Inclusive Cities

Councillor: Jane Dowson (Lord Mayor)Destination: Hangzhou, ChinaDate(s): 14/10/17-22/10/17Cost to council: £980.61Total cost: £1,556.61Reason for visit: To attend Sister Cities Conference and other meetings.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Ljubljana, SloveniaDate(s): 15/11/17-17/11/17Cost to council: £485.40Total cost: £485.40Reason for visit: To attend the Eurocities AGM

Councillor: Mohammed RafiqueDestination: Nairobi, KenyaDate(s): 27/11/17-01/12/17Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £822.51Reason for visit: To attend a research workshop on socially inclusive cities.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Brussels, BelgiumDate(s): 19/02/18Cost to council: £385.14Total cost: £385.14Reason for visit: To attend a core cities meeting with Michael Barnier.

Councillor: Coun Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Cannes, FranceDate(s): 13/03/18-16/03/18Cost to council: £1,936.69Total cost: £1,936.69Reason for visit: To represent Leeds at MIPIM (international property conference).2016/17

Councillor: Judith Chapman (Lord Mayor)Destination: Dortmund, GermanyDate(s): 06/05/16Cost to council: £215.67Total cost: £346.68Reason for visit: To attend the DortBunt! Festival on intercultural dialogue.

Councillor: Lucinda YeadonDestination: Lille, FranceDate(s): 15/06/16-17/06/16Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £556Reason for visit: To exchange best practice and sign an educational agreement.

Councillor: Gerald Harper (Lord Mayor)Destination: Bus-les-Artois, FranceDate(s): 30-06-16-01/07/16Cost to council: £128.75Total cost: £128.75Reason for visit: To attend a commemoration event.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 23/07/16Cost to council: £48.82Total cost: £443.82Reason for visit: To attend the Tour de France finish and discuss inward investment.

Councillor: Gerald HarperDestination: Siegen, GermanyDate(s): 02/09/16-04/09/16Cost to council: £223.25Total cost: £376.97Reason for visit: To attend the opening of Siegen’s redeveloped city centre.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Milan, ItalyDate(s): 17/11/16-18/11/16Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £300.09Reason for visit: To attend the Eurocities AGM and awards ceremony.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Hangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, ChinaDate(s): 25/02/17Cost to council: £1,873.23Total cost: £1,873.23Reason for visit: To participate in a trade and investment mission

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Brussels, BelgiumDate(s): 06/03/17-07/03/17Cost to council: £341.21Total cost: £341.21Reason for visit: To attend Eurocities Mayors Summit

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Cannes, FranceDate(s): 14/03/17-16/03/17Cost to council: £1,077.81Total cost: £1,077.81Reason for visit: To attend a MIPIM mission

Councillor: James LewisDestination: Prague, Czech RepublicDate(s): 30/03/17-31/03/17Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £282.50Reason for visit: To present an Open Data conference.2015/16

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; SingaporeDate(s): 26/07/15-01/08/15Cost to council: £86.21Total cost: £2,531.15Reason for visit: UKTI and No 10 Northern Powerhouse trade and investment mission.

Councillor: Alex SobelDestination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 03/12/15-06/12/15Cost to council: £226.50Total cost: £226.50Reason for visit: To attend COP21 and the UCLG Culture Forum.

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: Barcelona, SpainDate(s): 10/12/15-12/12/15Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £469.81Reason for visit: To attend the IGCAT Conversation of ECoCs [International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism Conversation of European Capitals of Culture].

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council leader)Destination: San Sebastian, SpainDate(s): 22/01/16-24/01/16Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £337.03Reason for visit: To attend the opening ceremony of San Sebastian 2016.

Councillor: Lucinda YeadonDestination: Helsinki, FinlandDate(s): 13/03/16-16/03/16Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £748.27Reason for visit: To attend a Culture for Cities and Regions study visit.

2014/15

Councillor: David Congreave (Lord Mayor)Destination: Lille, FranceDate(s): 08/07/14-09/07/14Cost to council: £321.22Total cost: Not knownReason for visit: To represent Leeds at the Tour de France stage four final.

Councillor: Roger Harrington (Cycling champion)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 26/07/14-28/07/14Cost to council: £744.58Total cost: Not givenReason for visit: To represent Leeds at Tour de France Paris final stage.

Councillor: Lucinda YeadonDestination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 26/07/14Cost to council: £721.64Total cost: Not givenReason for visit: To represent Leeds at Tour de France Paris final stage.

Councillor: David Congreave (Lord Mayor)Destination: Hangzhou and Shanghai, ChinaDate(s): 13/10/14-19/10/14Cost to council: £3,139.36Total cost: Not givenReason for visit: To represent Leeds at Hangzhou Sister Cities summit and support university alumni events.

2013/14

Councillor: Lucinda YeadonDestination: Nice, FranceDate(s): 01/07/13-03/07/13Cost to council: £531.10Total cost: £531.10Reason for visit: To represent Yorkshire at the Tour de France ahead of the Grand Depart in Leeds.

Councillor: Roger Harrington (Leeds cycling champion)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 22/10/13-23/10/13Cost to council: £486Total cost: £486.20Reason for visit: Representing Yorkshire at Tour de France event.

Councillor: Keith Wakefield (Council leader)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 22/10/13-23/10/13Cost to council: £448.20Total cost: £448.20Reason for visit: Representing Yorkshire at Tour de France event.

Councillor: Roger Harrington (Leeds cycling champion)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 20/07/13-22/07/13Cost to council: £309.50Total cost: £309.50Reason for visit: Representing Yorkshire at Tour de France event

Councillor: Keith Wakefield (Council leader)Destination: Paris, FranceDate(s): 20/07/13-22/07/13Cost to council: £336.90Total cost: £336.90Reason for visit: Representing Yorkshire at Tour de France event

Councillor: Judith Blake (Council deputy leader)Destination: Lille, FranceDate(s): 19/11/13-21/11/13Cost to council: nilTotal cost: £372.93Reason for visit: CIVIC education project

Councillor: Thomas Murray (Lady Mayoress (sic))Destination: Hangzhou and Beijing, ChinaDate(s): 18/01/14-21/01/14Cost to council: £1,263,24Total cost: £1,263,24Reason for visit: Supporting Leeds & Partners trade and investment mission.