Mayors run up £215k on car expenses
More than £215,000 has been spent on cars to take Midlands mayors and deputy mayors to civic events and meetings, it has been revealed.
Dudley Council forked out the most, spending £84,969.57 in 2007/08. The second highest was Walsall Council, which spent £49,261.06, closely followed by Wolverhampton City Council at £45,223. Stafford Borough Council paid £32,300 while the bill for Kidderminster Charter Trustees was just £5,000.
Lichfield City Council spends nothing on chauffeuring the mayor as he drives himself to events in his own car.
The figure for Dudley borough includes the salary of two full-time driving attendants at £63,140, £1,492 for petrol and diesel and £347.57 on cleaning. In addition, it spent £19,990 on leasing two cars.
In Wolverhampton, two drivers, who undertake cleaning duties as part of their role, earned £40,835 between them.
The cost of maintaining the mayoral car, which is owned by the council, was £1,488 and fuel costs were £2,900.
Walsall Council owns the mayoral car and has a chauffeur. No breakdown of the costs incurred was available.
In Stafford, the car is leased by the council and the cost includes salary, petrol and maintenance.
In Kidderminster, the Charter Trustees paid £3,100 on a rental contract for a Ford Mondeo and £1,900 on the vehicle's diesel and servicing. The Mayor does not have a chauffeur.
No Sandwell figures were out.
