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Counting the cost of councillors

by Betty Anderson
23/ 4/2008

COUNCILLORS serving Macclesfield borough cost the tax payer £381,894 in allowances last year.

Finance chiefs have been totting up claims each individual member put in over the past year.

They are each entitled to a basic allowance from the public purse of £3,192, with car mileage, expenses for telephone, travel and other out of pocket subs on top. In addition leaders and committee chairmen are allocated extra responsibility allowances.

Councillors serving Wilmslow claimed a total shareout of £110,357. Not surprisingly, because of his role, the highest earner was Mayor Councillor Barry Burkhill, Handforth, who claimed £17,936, during his year of office.

Council leader Wesley Fitzgerald, Wilmslow, claimed £15,889 followed by Coun Jamie Macrae, Mobberley, who banked £13,417 and Coun Frank Keegan, Alderley Edge, who clocked up £12,776.

Claims for wards in Wilmslow were as follows:
Hough:
Wesley Fitzgerald Conservative leader, £15,889
Rod Menlove, Wilmslow £3,712

Fulshaw:
Basil Hanson, £4,630
Joan Barns, retired, £890

Handforth:
Barry Burkhill ,Mayor, £17,936
Sue Bidwell, £4,170
Gary Barton, £3,450

Lacey Green:
Adrian Bradley, Lib Dem leader, £9,640

Dean Row:
Paul Whiteley, £9,502
Jim Crockatt, £9,108

Alderley Edge:
John Parkinson, £4338
Frank Keegan £12,776

Morley and Styal:
Colin Shepherd, £4,256
Margaret Bradley, £3,857

Chelford:
Carolyn Andrew, £9,203

Details of claims can be obtained from the council information centre at Wilmslow Leisure Centre or on line at macclesfield.gov.uk