Tendring: District councillors' expenses revealed (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

Tendring: District councillors' expenses revealed

11:12am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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DISTRICT councillors in Tendring claimed £533,115 in allowances and expenses, it has been revealed.

Tendring councillors allowances were published this week as part of the council’s statement of accounts for 2008/9.

The figures show each of the council’s 60 councillors received a basic allowance of £4,945 making a total of £296,700, on top of which £213,309 was paid in special responsibility allowances, £3,867 in broadband allowances, £513 in carers’ allowances and £18,725 in travelling and subsistence.

The overall total allowance payout has gone up by £54,165.80 since 2007/8.

Councillor Pierre Oxley (Tendring First, St Paul’s) had the highest expenses claim of £4,564.80 for travelling and subsistence, followed by former council leader David Lines (Tendring First, Homelands) who claimed for £2,492.80.

Mr Oxley told the Gazette his expenses claim was due to the high mileage involved in his former role as leisure portfolio holder.

“I was engaged in a number of leisure projects that we wanted to bring forward so was travelling across East Anglia for meetings at leisure centres as well as travelling to the parks, football pitches and leisure centres across our district.

“On average it was working out at about 1,000 miles for the council each month.”

Former council leader, David Lines, picked up the highest special responsibility allowance of £19,780 and the council’s other nine portfolio holder’s each picked up £11,620.

Michael Talbot (Ind, St Osyth) claimed £1,269.40 for travelling and subsistence along with £215.88 for broadband allowance.

Mark Cossens (Tendring First, Holland and Kirby) claimed £878 for broadband allowance and Neil Stock (Con, Ardleigh and Little Bromley) and Sarah Candy (Con, Lawford) each claimed £288.94 for dependent carers’ allowances.

Finance portfolio holder Peter Halliday, who did not make any claims, said Tendring Council already publishes all councillors’ expenses on its website.

“Councillors expenses are always available on the council website – we have nothing to hide,” he said.

“Our allowances are set by an independent renumeration committee and is then voted through and accepted by the council.”

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