Expenses claimed by city's councillors edge upward

Published on Tuesday 24 November 2009 08:39

EXPENSES paid to the Capital's councillors are rising again, new figures have revealed.

Despite the widespread controversy over the amount politicians claim at the taxpayer's expense, Edinburgh's 58 city councillors are now claiming more than they were a year ago.

In the six months to the end of September, councillors claimed 25,661 in expenses – a 2.9 per cent increase on the same period last year. It marks a return to rising expenses after years of decline.

The total cost to the taxpayer of the city's councillors, including salaries, was 655,241.

The expenses mainly covered travel, accommodation and conference fees associated with the duties of being a councillor.

Many councillors also claimed an annual bus pass – which they are all entitled to – at a cost of 540.

Transport leader Gordon Mackenzie claimed 1,180 in expenses in the first six months of the year – more than any other councillor and 71 per cent higher than his own claim last year.

However, he today defended his own claims – and said that the overall increase could be down to the rising cost of bus passes, which went from 440 last year to 540.

"The bus pass is something I use every day," he said. "I don't use my car and claim mileage because I have good bus links into my ward and between my ward and the council.

"The bus pass went up a lot and that will have affected a lot of councillors so I suspect that the overall increase across the board will be a result of the bus pass rise, which is linked in turn to the rising cost of fuel."

City leader Jenny Dawe claimed the second highest expenses, at 1,035. However, the whole cost can be attributed to transport costs incurred as a result of two conferences she represented the council at; a McCrae's Battalion Trust commemorative ceremony in Contalmaison, France, and an investment event in Abu Dhabi.

Cllr Dawe said: "It's never been more important that we promote Edinburgh on the international stage as an excellent investment opportunity and our attendance at the event triggered interest in the city."

The average monthly expenses claim per councillor was 73.77, compared to 75.91 a month in the 2008-9 financial year.

Labour environment spokeswoman Maureen Child spent 460 attending the "One Scotland, Many Challenges" conference, organised by the CIPFA. The remainder of her 1,000 expenses bill was spent on a bus pass.

Conservative group leader Iain Whyte, also convener of the police board, ran up 438 miles at the taxpayer's expense, with all but one journey being for travel within the Edinburgh city boundary. However, the cash value of the claim was 350 – which he said means his full-year claim will be around the price of a bus pass.

"I usually drive because I go various different places in the day," said Cllr Whyte. "And police board meetings are not always in Edinburgh."

SNP councillor Stuart McIvor attended a Cosla conference on "Scottish Local Government Going Forward Together" as a replacement for group leader Steve Cardownie, with the conference fee costing the council 565. He also attended two London events – a Civic Trust Awards, which he was chosen for as vice-chairman of the planning committee, and an energy and environment conference.

However, he said that his London accommodation – 102.15 for two nights – was cheap compared to what the council allow him to spend.

Cllr Ian Murray, the Labour group's finance spokesman, claimed 93 for car journeys to surgeries and community events in his ward, on top of his 540 bus pass.

However, he defended the need to spend money on both bus and car journeys and said he was now reconsidering whether getting a bus pass again.

"If I have a single meeting in south Edinburgh I will tend to use the bus but if I have a number of meetings in the area it can be almost impossible to use public transport," he said. "If I'm at Liberton High School and have to get to a meeting at Gracemount High School it's virtually impossible to use public transport. I did consider this year whether I needed to get a bus pass and with the amount I've used it in the last six months, I probably won't use it again."

Cllr Murray also claimed 106 car miles – at a cost of 42.40 – for a return trip to the UK Cabinet meeting held at Glasgow's SECC in April. He was the only councillor from Edinburgh that attended.

He said: "A lot of it was about finance and policy so it was very useful to see what way we are going, particularly with my finance hat on in relation to public finances."

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's finance leader, said: "Members' expenses are strictly regulated and monitored by the council and adhere to Scottish Government regulations. In the interests of openness and transparency from now on the amounts claimed by individual councillors will be published quarterly each year."