Lib Dem Richmond Council, famously car hating when it comes to residents, has spent over £1 millionof staff car allowances for its own bureaucrats over the past four years. It has been an area of steady spending growth. The figures show that not only is the Council unconcerned about saving money - it also doesn't care about the pollution it causes.
Conservative Environment spokesman, Cllr. Martin Seymour says:
“Richmond’s Lib Dem Council has made itself notorious as the hammer of residents who dare to own a car. Yet shock figures now revealed under Freedom of Information rules show that while taxpayers and shopkeepers have been the victims of all-out war on the car, they have been made to fork out over £1 million in car allowances to staff!
“Some car use may be essential for peripatetic teachers, carers and the like, but how can a council that postures every day about its hatred of car use contrive to increase car allowances for its staff? Since 2006-7 staff car mileage, allowances and £1 per mile are all up. What hypocrisy from this holier-than-thou so-called-green Town Hall!”
Cllr Nicholas True, leader of the Conservative opposition adds:
“On average this car-hating Council’s staff are driving the distance from the Earth to the Moon every 13 months. I have long wondered what planet this council was on with its transport policies. Well, now we know. Residents may be grounded – but their council is in orbit, on the rates!”
Car User Allowance 2006/07 £243,784, 2007/08 £252,045, 2008/09 £255,814 2009/10 - 11 months £247,754. TOTAL £999,398 .
NB:- Figures do not include costs of the underground car park below the Civic Centre, car loans or reimbursement of parking charges where the Council say it “would not be possible to compile the amounts claimed by officers in relation to the parking reimbursements.” Not even their new £1.4 million solar parking meters can apparently tell us, the public who pay for it all, the answer.
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