TAXPAYERS have shelled out £544 sending the city council's education leader to a health conference in Croatia.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has come under fire after Roger Ibbs attended the five-day International Healthy Cities conference in Zagreb instead of health specialist Jean Bowers.

Now, councillors are demanding to know why Mr Ibbs – portfolio holder for children and young people's services – was sent to Zagreb.

Councillor Alby Walker, chairman of the council's health overview and scrutiny committee, says he only found out about the trip on Monday.

He said: "I didn't know this conference was happening and I find that pretty shocking.

"Councillor Bowers pulled out and asked Councillor Ibbs to go.

"But when Jean Bowers pulled out of a health presentation three weeks ago, I was called at the last minute to stand in for her.

"So, when there's a job to be done, I'm asked to help, but when it's a nice trip somewhere, I'm not.

"Why Roger Ibbs was asked to go, I do not know.

"As councillors, we find most of our information out from reading The Sentinel and that is appalling."

Councillor Roy Naylor, who is vice-chairman on the committee, added: "I think Alby should have gone to Croatia.

"There just seems to be no continuity with the council. If Alby is being asked to do presentations when Jean Bowers isn't available, then why is he not asked to go to a conference?

"Someone related to health should have gone."

The trip cost 700 Euros. Mr Ibbs flew by economy class and stayed in basic accommodation.

Mrs Bowers, portfolio holder for adult social care and health, today defended her decision to ask Mr Ibbs to go.

She said: "I was unable to attend the conference for family reasons.

"I asked Councillor Roger Ibbs to attend.

"The decision was in no way political. I have asked council officers to draw up a protocol should similar situations arise."

Mr Ibbs said: "I believe health cuts across many council services and it certainly informs a lot of the work in my portfolio.

"The visit was a five-day conference and it was important that portfolio holders with decision-making responsibilities attended.

"Had there been the opportunity for a scrutiny councillor to attend as well, I would have welcomed that.

"Stoke-on-Trent is a World Health Organisation-designated healthy city and the conference was attended by portfolio holders from a range of English local authorities.

"I was able to visit a fishing project to help rehabilitate disabled people and injured war veterans, and relate this to similar schemes in Stoke-on-Trent."

Should Roger Ibbs have gone to Croatia?