“Knocking” on the doorsteps over this last week people have quite rightly been very vocal about their distaste over sums claimed by MPs – and I have had to defend the position of local Councillors who do not have their noses in the trough.
For the record we get £7610 a year as a Councillor's allowance on which we pay tax and N.I. We can claim £10 a month for use of our home broadband, and we can claim mileage of 40p per mile for meetings that we attend. But not all meetings! If we go to one that we have been asked to attend by officers, or a full council meeting, then we claim. If we are attending meetings with constituents or Parish Council Meetings then we don’t. I haven’t asked the Council for use of a computer and nor do I have a Council Blackberry. I use my own home and mobile phone and don’t charge for calls I make.
Having been in the job for 5 months I’ve claimed approximately £70 for broadband and mileage (I didn't claim anything for December and January as I didn't manage to put my claim in on time). Nothing from John Lewis – and no second home!!
On the plus side those elected on June 4th will have job security for the next 4 years which is something very few people are lucky enough to have at the moment.
For the record we get £7610 a year as a Councillor's allowance on which we pay tax and N.I. We can claim £10 a month for use of our home broadband, and we can claim mileage of 40p per mile for meetings that we attend. But not all meetings! If we go to one that we have been asked to attend by officers, or a full council meeting, then we claim. If we are attending meetings with constituents or Parish Council Meetings then we don’t. I haven’t asked the Council for use of a computer and nor do I have a Council Blackberry. I use my own home and mobile phone and don’t charge for calls I make.
Having been in the job for 5 months I’ve claimed approximately £70 for broadband and mileage (I didn't claim anything for December and January as I didn't manage to put my claim in on time). Nothing from John Lewis – and no second home!!
On the plus side those elected on June 4th will have job security for the next 4 years which is something very few people are lucky enough to have at the moment.
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