Allowance shock by councillor

Councillor Jonathan Yardley, who represents Tettenhall Regis, told today how he is currently living in Plymouth for personal reasons and cannot get up to the city due to medical problems. Most of his work has now been handed over to another Conservative councillor.

He is still being allowed to claim his full annual allowance of £26,941 until the end of the council municipal year in mid-May.

Of that yearly allowance, £17,961 is because of "special responsibilities" in the cabinet, despite the 48-year-old not attending any meetings at the Civic Centre in the last eight weeks.

Party chiefs could have voted to remove a percentage of Councillor Yardley's special responsibilities allowance covering his absence but have chosen not to do so.

The authority's leader Councillor Neville Patten has been covering for him at recent meetings, while Merry Hill councillor John Pask has been named new spokesman for neighbourhoods and community safety.

Councillor Yardley, a quantity surveyor, said today: "I've had health problems and following advice from the doctors, I've asked not to be contacted at all by councillors or sent any correspondence. I went on holiday to the Channel Islands and collapsed after flying back into Plymouth.

"I went to hospital and I was found to have an irregular heartbeat and other medical problems," he added.

"I've had procedures to correct it but I'm still away from the West Midlands recovering."

Councillor Patten said: "It won't affect his allowance because Jonathan is still in the cabinet.

"I've just asked John Pask to fill in for him due to his ongoing absence."

Councillor Yardley caused a stir on Monday after revealing he was questioned by police for making a joke about transsexuals at a force liaison meeting that was deemed "homophobic".