County expenses figures released early

The county council brought forward the release of its latest yearly expense figures following the furore over MPs’ claims and has announced it will now publish the figures every month.

The new figures show that between April 2008 and March 2009, Oxfordshire’s 74 councillors received a total of £52,494 in travel and subsistence expenses on top of the £839,304 they and three co-opted members received in pay. In total they claimed £267,997.66 in expenses since 2004.

Yesterday, TaxPayers Alli-ance research director Matthew Sinclair said: “It’s great the council is being more open with their constituents.

“However, councillors need to do more to keep their claims down with council tax bills doubling in the last 10 years and many ordinary people struggling in the recession.”

Over the last five years, councillors’ salaries rose by less than the Retail Price Index figure for inflation.

However, opposition councillor and Labour group leader Liz Brighouse wanted the council’s new monthly figures to fully itemise each claim.

She said it was necessary after a row broke out about councillors staying at the luxury Malmaison Hotel during this year’s snowstorms ahead of a budget meeting.

She said: “I think it’s necessary if we are going to protect our democracy that people in public life are open and accountable.

“Councillors have to say how they spent the money to claim for it, so why isn’t all that information available for the public to see?

“I have always thought we provide very good value but we need to scrutinise this and be sure that is the case.”

Mrs Brighouse received £8,026 in pay for her work, but was one of 26 councillors who didn’t make any expense claims, including for travel costs for attending meetings at County Hall.

Pensioners’ leader Bill Jupp said: “The councillors owe it to the public to be completely transparent now. That is the key if they want our trust.”

Council leader Keith Mitchell made the largest expenses claim of £6,019 on top of his £28,094 pay last year.

His role requires the greatest amount of travel to represent the county on bodies such as the South East England Development Agency and the Local Government Association.

He refused to answer any questions on his expenses and hung up on the Oxford Mail.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition, Zoe Patrick, received an allowance of £20,067 and claimed £1,512 in expenses, which she said was strictly limited to travel.

She said: “I think councillors represent good value for money. No-one has ever feathered their nest being a councillor.”

Deputy leader David Robertson received £24,080 and claimed £2,099, which he said was strictly limited to travel.

He said: “Unfortunately on the doorstep we’re associated with MPs and some of the things that have been going on.”

Green group leader Larry Sanders, who got an £8,026 basic allowance, said he thought all councillors except the leader and cabinet should receive the same allowance.

In 2008/09, Oxfordshire paid its councillors the second lowest basic allowances in the South East, with only Northamptonshire paying less.

Full details of councillors' expenses

WHAT CAN BE CLAIMED?

EXPENSES county councillors can claim for are far smaller than for MPs as they have no requirement for things like second homes. They can claim for travel and subsistence, and child care or care for an ill spouse if they need to attend to council business. However, they cannot claim for work in their own ward or district as annual allowances are deemed to cover these. Forty per cent of their working week is expected to be voluntary. Councillors can claim for public transport or mileage at 40p a mile for the first 10,000 miles in a year. Subsistence claims can be made for breakfast and an evening meal, but not lunch. Every element of a claim has to be supported by a receipt or there will be no payment. Every month 10 per cent of the claims are picked at random and checked by a council officer. ?

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk