A councillor and an officer from a Black Country authority were flown out to Berlin for £2,000 to attend an awards ceremony at taxpayers’ expense, it has emerged

Council officers in Sandwell used special powers to approve the outlay as a “matter of urgency” as there was not time for the plans to go officially before elected council chiefs, a report states.

Finance chief, Councillor Steve Eling, interim director of finance and corporate services, and council employee Stuart Kellas, were sent to the German capital to represent the authority at the StrategicRISK European Risk Management Awards, held at the Berlin Hilton on May 7. Council leader Councillor Bill Thomas today defended the decision to send them and compared the awards ceremony to the Oscars. He is tomorrow expected to give retrospective backing to the decision.

A report presented ahead of tomorrow’s meeting says: “As notification of the awards was not received in time to allow consideration during the normal meetings cycle, it was necessary to deal with it in accordance with the authority delegated to chief officers to act in matters of urgency.”

It says the decision was taken by chief executive Allison Fraser in consultation with the council leader. The awards are described as “prestigious”, with Sandwell shortlisted in two categories, Best Risk Management Approach in the Public Sector and European Risk Management Team of the Year.

The cost was approximately £2,000 and paid for from within the existing budgets.

The authority finished second in the Best Risk Management Approach in the Public Sector award, but missed out on a place in the European Risk Management Team of the Year category.

In February, figures revealed that more than £50,000 was spent on financing foreign trips for council workers and elected members for authorities across the West Midlands. In a year Wolverhampton City Council spent the most at £30,514, with Sandwell following with £15,852 worth of trips.

Sandwell Council leader, Councillor Bill Thomas, said: “Sandwell was selected for the final part of this award ceremony and like any other major organisation we sent the minimum number of representatives – one elected member and one officer.

“There is no way that an actor would not turn up to the Baftas or an Oscar ceremony. As such it would have been inappropriate for Sandwell not to be represented at such a prestigious award ceremony. Particularly since it was a significant honour to have been selected.

“I am not prepared to let Sandwell drop from the premier league of local authorities and if we are selected again for a very prestigious award I would give serious consideration to any request to attend.”