Highland councillor believes coronavirus will see expenses claims fall
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One of cash-strapped Highland Council’s most prolific expenses claimants believes the coronavirus pandemic will reduce the number of claims this year.
Figures for last year – released this week – showed the local authority used taxpayers’ money to subsidise more than £180,000 of councillors’ expenses.
It included £8816.46 for Councillor Biz Campbell – making her the second highest overall expenses claimant.
The Independent councillor for Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh made the highest claim for meals, collecting £784.31 – up by more than 50 per cent from £506.55 for the year before.
She felt this was justified because the claims were allowed under regulations stipulated by the Scottish Government. “If I stay in Inverness I am entitled to my evening meal,” she said.
She said she worked hard for residents by attending council meetings – with a 130-mile round trip from her home to Inverness – as well as attending a number of community councils and meetings elsewhere.
“I could stay at home and not go to any meetings and not claim anything,” she added.
Cllr Campbell said claims were closely monitored, with all council business logged in her diary, adding: “I would never ever claim for something I never went to. If the government says we are allowed it, we will claim for it.”
Since the coronavirus lockdown, a lot of meetings have been carried out remotely and Cllr Campbell said that her claims had fallen dramatically.
She said: “I’ve not claimed anything for two months. It will cut that [expenses claims], now they have introduced it [virtual meetings]. It is going to save on expenses, definitely.”
The overall council figures for 2019-20 show an increase in the total amount paid out in salaries plus expenses compared to the year before.
It came despite six councillors not making any expense claims for the past 12 months – including deputy council leader Alasdair Christie (Inverness Ness-side, Lib Dem) for the 10th year in a row.
A total of £1,591,343.19 was paid in salaries plus expenses last year – up from £1,578,885.54 in 2018-19.
There were 24 councillors who collected a smaller total in 2019-20 than the year before. Claims totalling £182,784.09 of expenses were paid out last year – down from £206,903.54 in 2018-19.
Councillor John Finlayson (Eilean a’ Cheò, Independent) claimed the most overall. He topped up his £26,292 salary with £10,980.97 of expenses – a larger total than he claimed last year when his salary was lower. He claimed the most of any councillors for mileage (£8334.45).
Related article: Highland councillors claim £182,000 to cover expenses
