District: Councillors' expense claims to go online (From Halstead Gazette)

District: Councillors' expense claims to go online

5:51pm Friday 26th June 2009

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District councillors have raked in a whopping £413,281 in allowances.

For the first time, Braintree Council will be posting councillors’ expenses online in a bid to appear “open”.

These figures have revealed how 41 district councillors together claimed at total of £18,366 in expenses over the financial year of 2008/09 - an increase of £1,578 on the previous year.

Since the previous year, the total allowance payout has gone up by £19,982.

It is also the first time the council chief executive’s salary will appear online.

Graham Butland, leader of Braintree Council, said: “We thought given the current climate, we would be quite open.

“I think it’s just a step forward. We’re getting inundated by Freedom of Information requests and it does take up resources in terms of responding.

“The Sunday Times have been sending FOIs to local authorities. They have done MPs, MEPs and it can’t be long before they do come to local authorities and charities.

“We don’t feel we have anything to hide."

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