Expenses that local councillors claim??

[Rheghead]

In the wake of the national upheaval over MPs expenses, I have a few questions.

Are the expenses that local councillors claim published publically for scrutiny?

What are the rules for claiming?

Will there be an effort to reform expenses?

Are they claiming too much by having their snouts in the trough?

:confused :confused

[Kodiak]

In the wake of the national upheaval over MPs expenses, I have a few questions.

Are the expenses that local councillors claim published publically for scrutiny?

What are the rules for claiming?

Will there be an effort to reform expenses?

Are they claiming too much by having their snouts in the trough?

:confused :confused

Very good points you make there.

I would be Very Interesting reading indeed to see what expences are being claimed by our local councillors.

[Venture]

Some information from HRC website

http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/finance/accounting/membersexpenses.htm

[golach]

In the wake of the national upheaval over MPs expenses, I have a few questions.
Are the expenses that local councillors claim published publically for scrutiny?
What are the rules for claiming?
Will there be an effort to reform expenses?
Are they claiming too much by having their snouts in the trough?
:confused :confused
You starting a witch hunt on all public servants now Rheg? I personally would head hunt the Fat Cats from the Banks first, they ripped us off for years, for much more than our MP's have done.
I would then clamp down of the Benefit Fraudsters, who are ripping off us the tax-payers just as much as any politician.

[Rheghead]

Some information from HRC website

http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/finance/accounting/membersexpenses.htm

Thanks for that. Some interesting figures there.

[Rheghead]

You starting a witch hunt on all public servants now Rheg? I personally would head hunt the Fat Cats from the Banks first, they ripped us off for years, for much more than our MP's have done.

I wish I could but I don't think anyone will listen.:D

However, it is a poor arguement to suggest a copper was to let a petty criminal go scot free just because bank robbers and rapists were out there unpunished.:~(

[Oddquine]

Wouldn't it be cheaper, and just as effective to do all council meetings by video conferencing, private chat rooms and forums? Why do they actually have to see each other to have a discussion?

In fact, that would save us the costs of running Westminster and Edinburgh as well...........just think how many of the sillier laws we have which may well never have happened if there were not a load of people trying to justify their presence to collect salary and expenses.....whether council or parliamentary.........after all, it is the civil servants who actually run things!

[Rheghead]

Wouldn't it be cheaper, and just as effective to do all council meetings by video conferencing, private chat rooms and forums? Why do they actually have to see each other to have a discussion?

In fact, that would save us the costs of running Westminster and Edinburgh as well...........just think how many of the sillier laws we have which may well never have happened if there were not a load of people trying to justify their presence to collect salary and expenses.....whether council or parliamentary.........after all, it is the civil servants who actually run things!

Good idea there. We might see some decent councillors then who are in it to make a difference rather than a difference in their back pockets.

[Rheghead]

Some information from HRC website

http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/finance/accounting/membersexpenses.htm

It's interesting that David Bremner's expenses to go to Inverness were £19,578.52 and John Thurso's expenses for going all the way down to Westminster (and being charged London prices etc) were less than £2000 dearer at £21,448 for the same year 2007-2008.:eek:

[Welcomefamily]

Well done we should all be asking these questions, get rid of those who are too expensive, its our taxes after all.

[BINBOB]

WOW..............what shocking amounts of claimed monies.how can they justify this???

seems like not only mp expenses are over the top..ehhh:roll:

[Alice in Blunderland]

It's interesting that David Bremner's expenses to go to Inverness were £19,578.52 and John Thurso's expenses for going all the way down to Westminster (and being charged London prices etc) were less than £2000 dearer at £21,448 for the same year 2007-2008.:eek:

Oh goodness wheres the cow I want to milk it too. :eek: ;)

[changilass]

Rheggers £14,000 of that was remuneration, his travel was only £4,000, so you are not comparing like with like.

[Rheghead]

Rheggers £14,000 of that was remuneration, his travel was only £4,000, so you are not comparing like with like.

Yes I am comparing like with like. We pay for expenses for both MPs and councillors whatever they decide to claim for.

[changilass]

If you are talking about total expenses claimed then you have £19,578.52 for David Bremner against £144,323.00 for John Sinclair, of which £25,137 was for travel, so its a big difference.

John Sinclair then gets another £64,766 for being an MP.

So like for like you have 19 versus 200 thousand (roughly).

[Rheghead]

If you are talking about total expenses claimed then you have £19,578.52 for David Bremner against £144,323.00 for John Sinclair, of which £25,137 was for travel, so its a big difference.

John Sinclair then gets another £64,766 for being an MP.

So like for like you have 19 versus 200 thousand (roughly).

But David Bremner already has a job.(which the taxpayer foots the bill for)

Where do you get the £144,323.00 and the £25,137 from?

[changilass]

The house of parliament web site.

Why mention David Bremner having a job, does it have any significance??

[Rheghead]

Why mention David Bremner having a job, does it have any significance??

Because you brought in the issue of MPs salaries, I didn't. I wasn't meaning to target David Bremner specifically either, it was just his name was the first I recognised.

But while we are on the subject, I wonder if he was claiming expenses for the days that he just sat in the audience listening to the Baillie windfarm PLI even though he had said his case on day one and knew he had no further input for the next 2 weeks. I wonder...

[catran]

Oh goodness wheres the cow I want to milk it too. :eek: ;)
Me too, would go to Inverness every single day for that amount of lolly....