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Councillor spends £9,835 on taxis!


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Should she just be paid mileage?  

68 members have voted

  1. 1. Should she just be paid mileage?

    • Yes
      57
    • No
      7
    • Not Sure
      8


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what I would like to know is, does every journey have to be justified before the "expenses" are paid, or are they just submitted under travel.

 

ie the taxi's waiting time outside the supermarket obviously shouldn't be paid for, but there is a public perception that it is!.

 

Is there a more detailed breakdown ?

 

You can see a sample claim form here.

 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/02/18103158/6

 

Basically a councillor can only claim expenses when on official business which must be detailed on the form.

 

How many of you have nipped to the shop when out on your employer's business?

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But saying that I am sure you could not get taxi to toon hall, do meeting, spend a long efternoon in Da Wheel and then get a taxi home on expences, surley the taxi company would have to log dates and times and that could be seen as fraud if it was not part of ya job..

Oh come on!. Spending a longer time in town after a meeting for which you have claimed travel expenses is hardly a crime. Have done it myself although the town in question was not Lerwick.

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But saying that I am sure you could not get taxi to toon hall, do meeting, spend a long efternoon in Da Wheel and then get a taxi home on expences, surley the taxi company would have to log dates and times and that could be seen as fraud if it was not part of ya job..

Oh come on!. Spending a longer time in town after a meeting for which you have claimed travel expenses is hardly a crime. Have done it myself although the town in question was not Lerwick.

 

I suppose the deeper question is how many of these trips have had this 'extension' by a couple of hours to include shopping, visiting etc. This is a toughie, it is perhaps sensible from a green perspective to combine shopping and visiting with meetings rather than making an additional trip, however, it would look like taking advantage. I'm not sure that there's anything that can be done here, except perhaps to appeal to the Councillor's sense of morality. Certainly the Councillor has not broken any rules, however, there is a public support dynamic to consider - a lesson being learned the hard way in Westminster.

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Thanks MuckleJoannie, that's reassured me that the taxi's waiting time can't be included in with the fare.

 

But as it's costing £244 a week to transport 1 person around surely it's time to look for an alternative!

 

If you feel strongly about this, write to the paper, write to the Convener, and encourage others to vote differently next time. The utilisation of public money is something I consider when casting my vote, along with any incumbent's attitude to the opinion of those they represent. I would urge others to consider the same as part of their own strategy for choosing their representative.

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Well there are hospital cars. Private cars that give up their time to shepperd folk around, they just get mileage paid plus a small fee for wear and tear..still, there are electric bikes around, it is outragous but within the rules, but I think the rules should say the cheapest method, which, after buying the shopping trolly to transport heavy things, a 10 minute walk to bus stop, normal folk do it...
:o

 

a disibility scooter would suffice i dont think you have to learn to drive to use them and battery would last to the toon perhaps a charging port by toon hall!!!!!!!!!!! or use spare ambulance charging bay!!!!!!!!!

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