A WARNING about the misuse of work mobile phones is to be issued to 750 senior staff at Oxford City Council.

The memo, which will explain to staff they can make personal calls as long as they are declared and paid for, will be issued to all staff with council-issued mobiles.

It is being drawn up after one individual was found to be using a work mobile to make personal calls "on a consistent basis".

The abuse was discovered after an audit of the council's leisure services department, parts of which were deemed "unacceptable".

Part of the auditor's report said: "A review of the phone bills for an individual of the team identified personal use of the phone on a consistent basis. Any personal calls should be paid for."

Our investigation has unearthed itemised phone records showing that in a two-month period last year one individual made 362 calls to three gambling lines, with more than 11 hours of calls made to one line alone.

The council does not believe this abuse is widespread and said staff in other departments had declared and paid for personal calls made on work phones.

Council staff making personal calls are supposed to pay for them, but the leisure audit found only one payment for personal calls in July 2003.

Caroline Bull, chief executive of Oxford City Council, said: "There is going to be more detailed guidance on mobile use following the audit. Mobile phones given to staff are not for personal use.

"If we find personal calls being made we have systems in place so that the individual can pay those calls back. All our mobile phones bills are checked and if anyone is found abusing council property we will take action. We were aware of the specific problems relating to this mobile phone bill and action has been taken."

The Town Hall has a contract with Vodafone for 751 mobile phones.

Last year its phone bill, including calls, was £90,507.

According to Inland Revenue guidelines staff are allowed to make personal calls on business mobile phones because it is not a taxable benefit.