ALMOST £5,000 worth of taxpayers’ money has been spent by Oxfordshire County Council at one of Oxford’s top hotels since it opened.

But County Hall is remaining tight-lipped, refusing to reveal precisely what the £4,706.24 has been spent on at Malmaison in the Oxford Castle complex since 2006.

The bill came to light after it emerged in February that all 74 county councillors were told they could stay in a hotel on expenses to ensure they attended a budget meeting to set the council tax.

The offer came during a period of heavy snowfall and was made to ensure they could make an important budget meeting.

Several councillors confirmed they had stayed at the hotel, but others refused to comment.

Oxford pensioners’ spokesman Bill Jupp added: “My state pension is only £4,954, so I think this is a lot of money, and so would a lot of pensioners in Oxfordshire.

“The councils need to look carefully at their expenses bills and try to reduce them — spending taxpayers’ money this way comes far too easily.”

Labour county councillor Liz Brighouse added: “The council should explain what this £4,706.24 has been spent on — it needs to be transparent where taxpayers’ money is concerned.”

County Hall has a “small profit share” in the success of the hotel as a result of its status as freeholder of the Oxford Castle site.

The Oxford Mail submitted a Freedom of Information request to establish who had stayed at the hotel courtesy of the taxpayer and how much had been spent by County Hall at Malmaison on other functions.

James Willoughby, the council’s Freedom of Information officer, provided receipts showing senior Conservative councillors James Couchman, Charles Shouler and Ray Jelf claimed about £100 each for staying at the Malmaison on February 9.

But the FOI department did not reveal that fellow Conservative, Don Seale, also stayed and had submitted a similar claim on expenses. Mr Seale confirmed he had submitted a claim and in an email to the Oxford Mail said: “To avoid a difficult 25-mile journey when I might be delayed, I decided rather than stay in the comfort of my home with my family, I would use the hotel, to ensure my presence at the council meeting, to discuss the 2009/10 budget, and that I would submit a claim to expenses.”

Mr Shouler, cabinet member for finance, said: “The leader (Keith Mitchell) was concerned that as portfolio holder for finances, and after working on the budget for six months, I could guarantee my presence.”

Mr Jelf, Conservative councillor for Deddington, said: “I just managed to get out of my village, but for four days after that I couldn’t move at all.”

Mr Couchman was not available for comment.

In February, Liberal Democrat county councillors Zoe Patrick and Anne Purse said they stayed at the hotel, but said they would not be claiming the cost back.

The Oxford Mail also asked the council to reveal how much county councillors had claimed for hotel stays during the past 12 months, but our request was refused because it would have used up too many council resources.