Row over calendar 'exercise in vanity'

Steve Brady, Labour group leader at Hull Council, who has often accused the authority of financial mismanagement, used money from the "community initiatives" budget for the Southcoates West 2011 calendar. Ward councillors Brady and Mary Glew, who is also his sister, feature on January's page, along with Lord Mayor David Gemmell.

Resident Pete Smith, who got one of the calendars through the door, said: "The money these have cost could have gone towards saving a person's job," while council leader Carl Minns branded it "an exercise in vanity and a disgraceful waste of public money."

Coun Brady said it made more sense to communicate dates of meetings to residents using the calendar rather than putting out leaflets throughout the year but he added: "On reflection obviously it doesn't look good... It's something that we won't do again."