Northland ratepayers paid $30,000 to send 11 council representatives to the Local Government annual conference in Queenstown this week.
Held at the Millennium Hotel, overlooking Lake Wakatipu, the "remarkable" themed conference was attended by councillors and staff from around the country.
The conference was opened by Prime Minister John Key and delegates were addressed by inspirational speakers such as Sir Graham Henry, Martin Sneeden and the former Premier of Victoria, the Hon John Brumby.
While the conference seems to have been enjoyed by all who attended, the cost of sending council representatives - and in some cases their partners - has raised eyebrows.
In contrast, the financially troubled Kaipara District Council chose not to send anyone to the conference, however councillor Hal Harding attended at his own expense.
The Far North District Council sent three delegates - Mayor Wayne Brown, Deputy Mayor Ann Court and chief executive David Edmunds - at a cost of $7612. Additional expenses, such as meals and taxis, had not been tallied by yesterday and were not included in the figures given by the councils.
Four representatives were sent by the Whangarei District Council at a cost of $11,788 (not including additional expenses).
Mayor Morris Cutforth was accompanied by councillors Warwick Syers and John Williamson, as well as council chief executive Mark Simpson.The Northland Regional Council also sent four representatives - Chairman Craig Brown, councillors John Bain and Joe Carr, and council chief executive Malcolm Nicolson - at a cost of $10,668 (excluding additional expenses).
All of the Northland councils said they did not pay travel expenses for delegate's partners.