Council staff mileage rates costing taxpayers

An investigation of mileage expenses claims by council staff in the West Midlands has revealed generous overpayments — funded by the taxpayer.

Local authorities in the region are routinely paying over-the-odds for members of staff to use their own car, with many giving more than the Government's own recommended rate of 40p.

In the Black Country, Dudley Council, Sandwell Council, Walsall Council and South Staffordshire District Council paid out the highest amounts.

Each council paid the same generous rate with for the past three years with rates rising from 58.7p per mile in 2008/9 to 60.1p in 2009/10 and then 65p for 2010/11.

Workers were on average £250 better off than a private sector driver for every 1,000 miles they drove.

Matthew Sinclair, director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said today: "It is shocking that the same councils that are pleading poverty are paying well above the recommended mileage rate.

Ordinary motorists who are feeling the pinch will be shocked that council staff are getting such a generous deal for their mileage claims."

Dudley paid out a total of £2.7 million in 2009/10, Sandwell paid £2.1m, Walsall paid £1.3m and South Staffs spent £193,704 on mileage.

Staffordshire County Council was listed as the third highest payer for mileage in the UK in 2009/10, paying out £7.14m.

It paid the same mileage rates as Wolverhampton City Council, Cannock Chase Council, Lichfield Council and Stafford Borough Council, where payments rose from 46.9p in 2008/9, to 47.7p in 2009/10 and 52.2p per mile in 2010/11.

But Wolverhampton council bosses said it still only paid 40.9p for essential car users including social workers.

Wolverhampton paid out a total of £1.7m in 2009/10. Cannock Chase paid out £185,355, Lichfield paid £183,713 and Stafford paid £177,132.

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for improvement and efficiency Counc- illor Mahboob Hussain said today the authority was planning to cut mileage claims by £1.1m by reducing the payment to 40p per mile by July. In Stafford, 20 buildings are being consolidated into central offices.