State visit costs need to be paid, council warns

Donald Trump was given an unprecedented second state visit when he came to the UK in September

A council has said it will not be able to support future state visits in its borough unless the government reimburses it for previous events.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's finance boss Lynne Jones said while it "has a role" in assisting visits, it needs to know when its £350,000 costs for recent events will be paid.

Donald and Melania Trump met members of the Royal family at Windsor Castle during their state visit in September, while French president Emmanuel Macron visited in July.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was contacted for a comment.

The German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier will also be hosted by the King at a two-day state visit at Windsor Castle from 3 December.

Many state visits are taking place at Windsor Castle as Buckingham Palace is undergoing a 10-year, £369m refurbishment.

Ms Jones told councillors: "State visits are government-led, and we therefore expect them to fully reimburse the costs we have incurred for recent and future visits."

French president Emmanuel Macron (right) stayed at Windsor Castle with his wife Brigitte as part of July's state visit

"It is frustrating that we are still in a position where we have no confirmation of our costs being reimbursed," she said.

"Especially when I understand that both the Royal household and Thames Valley Police have had confirmation that their costs will be.

"We cannot continue to support these [state visits] unless appropriate funding is received. Otherwise we risk a detrimental impact on the services received by our communities."

The council closed roads and car parks for state visits, at a time when it said it stood to lose funding under the government's plans to redistribute money to poorer areas.

Ms Jones said that her council is facing a real terms reduction in funding, months after it was on the brink of bankruptcy, is "absolutely farcical".

President Trump's first, three-day state visit to the UK in July 2018, which included meeting the then prime minister Theresa May at Blenheim Palace, cost the taxpayer about £322,000, according to Foreign Office figures.

His accommodation was not paid for by the taxpayer but venue and production fees cost £225,000, while entertainment cost £66,000 and staffing fees cost about £8,000. Transport cost about £23,000.