Hampshire Conservatives have refused to accept the Independent Remuneration Panel’s (IRP) recommendation that the amount of expenses claimed for miles done on Council business should be the same as the HMRC limit. HMRC tax anything received above 40p per mile. Hampshire pay councillors 53.8p per mile.Every Liberal Democrat Councillor accepted the proposal as expenses should refund money paid to be on Council business and is not there to  create a profit for councillors.The Tories rejected the IRP and have refused to reduce the amount claimed.

One Con’ Councillor even explained that he needed it to keep his car on the road as it only did 24 mpg and cost £400 road tax – the car being his pride and joy.

Liberal Democrats protested in vain that if you want expensive cars that is a life style choice and it is not necessary to carry out council business.

Every Liberal Democrat has signed up to an agreement that they will only claim the HMRC limit from now on – regardless of how much profit the Tories want to make from the council taxpayer we will not. 

Here is the story in the Southern Echo

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5026476.Councillor__can_t_afford_Jag__without_higher_expenses/

This comes after Conservatives on Hampshire Fire and Rescue tried to INCREASE the amount to 60 p per mile and they have now said they do not want the IRP to make a report in the coming year! After protests by myself that I would not agree to anything without knowing the amount they grudgingly le thte Officers explain the 60 p and then reduced it back down to the existing still a lot more than the 40 p.

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