Kenilworth Station's private official opening costs taxpayers more than £2,000

The official opening of Kenilworth Station, which the public were not invited to, cost more than £2,000 of taxpayers' money.
From left: Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP, deputy leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Peter Butlin, joint managing director of WCC Monica Fogarty, Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, and chair of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Jonathan Browning at the official openingFrom left: Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP, deputy leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Peter Butlin, joint managing director of WCC Monica Fogarty, Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, and chair of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Jonathan Browning at the official opening
From left: Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP, deputy leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Peter Butlin, joint managing director of WCC Monica Fogarty, Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, and chair of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Jonathan Browning at the official opening

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP unveiled a new plaque outside the station's entrance on Friday July 20 along with other invited dignitaries.

The public were not invited because of 'security concerns', according to Warwickshire County Council.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now, a Freedom of Information request has shown that the event cost £2,086.70 of taxpayers' money.

This included the cost of hiring equipment such as the marquee, and the cost of the plaques.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council said: "The attendance of a major government official at an event means that security is imperative and it was not possible to have an open invite for all the public.

"However, it was important to mark the completion of the project with a launch. It gave us the opportunity to bring all partners together and begin discussions on future rail and transport projects that will benefit Warwickshire."