Top 10 for expenses (From Swindon Advertiser)

Top 10 for expenses

Ref. 20114-71Councillors' claims for borough business cost Swindon taxpayers £300,000. Find out why they got a 43 per cent raise

SWINDON'S councillors were paid nearly £300,000 in allowance and expenses claims in the last year.

And a recently published list of exactly how much each of the 57 borough councillors received shows that former council leader Kevin Small (Lab, Western) leads the way having pocketed more than £12,000 for expenses incurred while fulfilling his civic duties.

But he maintains the large amount was down to his duties as council leader for the majority of the year and said councillors represent excellent value for money for the work they do.

All elected members can claim a basic allowance regardless of the number of meetings they attend while there is no overall cash limit of the amount that councillors can claim.

In March Swindon's councillors increased their allowances by 43 per cent based on the recommendation of an independent remuneration panel. And this municipal year all councillors have a basic allowance of £5,300.

Coun Small said: "I regularly attend National Local Government Association meetings, which take place in London. Sometimes meetings start early and require an overnight stay so there are hotel expenses.

"An independent panel has said what we're being paid is right. If you look at the hours I put in it's sometimes more than 50 hours a week.''

Coun Small, who received exactly £12,746.17 in expenses, is the only non-retired councillor not to have a job. He derives around £6,100 from his place on the National Rail Passengers' Committee and used to be chairman of the Wiltshire Ambulance Trust and a member of the Wiltshire Police Authority.

The changes in local council expenses were part of a widespread shake up by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister designed to loosen Whitehall's grip on local authorities.

Councillors can claim between 34.6p and 48.5p per mile for car journeys, depending on the vehicle's engine size. The maximum food allowances are £4.92 for breakfast, £6.77 for lunch, £2.67 for tea and £8.38 for dinner, but subsistence can only be claimed if councillors spend more than four hours away from home.

Members can also claim a bicycle allowance of 30p per mile and in cases of urgency can claim for a taxi fare and a reasonable tip. But councillors cannot claim for attending political meetings or for mileage or subsistence if invited to open or attend an official event.

Jim D'Avila (Lab, Moredon) Amicus regional director, received £9,537.61 while council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) claimed £8,573.29 and recently elected Michael Dickinson (Lib Dem, Central) was reimbursed £310.49. Liberal Democrat group leader Mike Evemy (Eastcott) claimed £7,048.72.

Coun Evemy said: "We certainly don't do the job for the money this is public service and the work can take a lot of time and commitment. If we want people to do the job there has to be some sort of recompense for their time."

Wiltshire County Council leader Jane Scott last year drew £16,715.09 while her predecessor Peter Chalke claimed £25,594.66.