‘Taxi trip’ council leader hits back
http://www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/news/3698897.___Taxi_trip____council_leader_hits_back/THE leader of Worcestershire County Council has hit back at critics of his travel expenses saying it is part of his job.
County taxpayers spent £245 on five taxi journeys for Conservative county council leader Dr George Lord to return to his Marlbrook home from meetings in Birmingham.
Alternative methods of transport Dr Lord could have used include a 23 minute journey by train from Bromsgrove to Birmingham New Street, costing around £5 for a peak-time return ticket or, as a pensioner, he could have travelled on a bus for nothing.
But Dr Lord dismissed the criticism. Speaking exclusively to the Advertiser/Messenger he said:
“It is simply about time, and my time is precious. This is the quickest and easiest way of getting from A-to-B. I need to read papers before meetings and can read them in a taxi.
“All of the leaders up and down the country do this.”
He also posed the question whether the public would be concerned by this “small amount of money” in the context of a county council budget of three-quarters of a billion, and the work he is doing for Bromsgrove’s new railway station.
A county council spokesman also defended the £50 taxis saying they were the most “appropriate” way for the leader to travel, allowing Dr Lord to “commit the journey time to council business."
Labour county councillor for Beacon, Peter McDonald said: “If we were in power in Worcestershire County Council we would have found a cheaper form of transport than the one Dr Lord used.”
On the issue of being the second highest claimant of county councillors, collecting £3,251.89, Dr Lord said it was “inevitable” as travelling was part of being the leader of county hall and was surprised not to be first.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act also reveal the county council’s 57 elected members claimed more than £800,000 between them in a year, in allowances and expenses. Councillors with extra responsibilities were paid additional allowances on top, ranging from £5,678.71 for cabinet members’ assistants, to £30,316.54 for council leader Dr Lord. As a district councillor, Dr Lord also collects a basic salary of £3,536.
Well it's good business for us in the trade but they are always spouting the virtues of public transport (meaning bus) to everyone else, I am quite sure everyone's time is "precious"
Login
Register
FAQ
