Taxpayers are set to pay thousands of pounds to give the mayor of Merton a seat at next year’s Olympic Games.
London’s borough councils have been given the chance to buy hundreds of tickets each for staff and councillors.
This week Merton Council leader Stephen Alambritis said the authority would buy two tickets for the opening and two tickets for the closing ceremonies, at a total cost of about £4,000, to be given to the mayor and his or her consort.
He said as a host borough, Merton should have a presence at the ceremonies next summer – but if any councillors wanted to see the sporting action he would expect them to apply for tickets in the same way as members of the public.
He said whoever was mayor at the time of the Games might still decide to return the tickets.
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