The 42.9p steps...
Councillors say they want to put their best foot forward for the environment – by claiming expenses for walking to meetings.
Members of Stroud Town Council will be able to claim 42.9 pence for every mile they have to walk on council business, if their eco-plans are given the go-ahead.
The proposal would mean the councillors would also get 42.9p for every mile they cycle or drive – in effect a uniform rate for all forms of travel.
It is hoped the green scheme will get councillors out of their cars and into the fresh air.
And providing the local district council has no problems with the plan, the councillors hope their example will be followed by other bodies across Gloucestershire and beyond.
Deputy mayor Andy Read owns a car but always walks to meetings at the town council office in London Road or to consultations with the district council at Ebley Mill.
He said: "In financial terms it will make next to no difference because our councillors don't claim for going to meetings.
"Generally councillors claim around £200 a year and that tends to be child care or for meetings that are over in Cheltenham or Gloucester.
"Really it's more a political statement against the fact that people get paid generous allowances for driving their car but if they are healthy and environmentally friendly then they are not compensated at all.
"We hope that the proposal will get people thinking whether they can indeed walk or cycle to meetings. Many of the councillors here are little more than a mile away from the office but we do have meetings that can be three or four miles away and if it is a nice evening they might be encouraged to take a stroll there instead.
"People are compensated for petrol, and it is our view that cyclists have to maintain their bikes and people walking should be compensated for the extra time it takes to get there.
"But in reality we are not really expecting people to claim for walking because it would be a pretty tight-fisted councillor who claimed the 42.9p each way it would be for their evening stroll into the offices.
"It is more about getting people thinking about the environment and their health and setting a good example."
Stroud is one of the greenest council-led areas in the land with 11 of 18 town councillors from the Green party and three of the town's six district councillors also belonging to the environmentally-friendly party.
Mayor John Marjoram does not own a car and always walks or uses public transport to get to meetings. He said: "The aim is to encourage people to walk rather than go by car.
"We are going to be in a critical state in the future because of climate change so we have really got to act boldly." The uniform rates, proposed by councillor Dave Cockcroft, were approved at the latest full council meeting.
An independent panel at Stroud District Council will consider the scheme to check it complies with guidelines.
Stroud Town Council is thought to be the first parish or town council to approve uniform rates for driving, cycling and walking.
But several district councils have already come up with schemes to encourage elected representatives to go by foot. Members of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council in Dorset can claim expenses of 40p per mile, whether they walk, cycle or drive.
Meanwhile, their counterparts at Braintree District Council in Essex can claim £1 every time they travel on foot and 20p per mile for cycling.
Stroud District Council does not pay expenses for walking but provides 42.9p per mile to car drivers, 20p to motorcyclists and 20p to cyclists.
4 Comments
by Jenna, Taunton
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 11:42AM
“If anyone has "legitimate" genuine expenses incurred through having to carry out their duties, they should be able to claim them. Most other workers can't claim costs for simply going to work, but can for going to legitimate meetings elsewhere, which should be the case so that no-one subsidises any employer.
Don't introduce a daft 'trying to be politicaly correct policy' to try and prevent something from happening. Address the issue at hand directly instead.
For example, look at the expenses and other costs which MPs, Ministers, etc, are claiming and which most of the public say is ethically wrong, but because their policies are written in a particuarly way they can claim for their second home, a new TV, etc, because they're not outside of the guidance provided, so they do claim it at the expense of every day citizens like us - I wish I had £24,000 to pay for my only mortgate let alone a second one!
Obvioulsy this is on a diffent scale, but really, what would be the difference here to stop anyone claiming once the policy was introduced. Most of us want to find ways of being more environmentally friendly.
What about lobbying for everyone home in Britain to have subsidised or affordable solar panels or wind turbines, etc, to generate their own energy or hot water. There are far better ways of addressing the environment and this policy isn't one of them. This is simply barmy!”
by pineapple poll, Bath
Saturday, March 21 2009, 8:44AM
“There's no obligation to claim travelling expenses so if councillors are as green as they say then they just shouldn't claim expenses at all. That would be the ethically correct behaviour, would it not?”
by enie, barrow gurney
Thursday, March 19 2009, 7:13PM
“If they removed the rates for car use they would be onto a winner, otherwise it simply generates more apathy towards local government.”
by Jerry Jones, Dorset
Thursday, March 19 2009, 4:27PM
“In this age of saving rate payers money why should someone want to be paid for walking to council meetings. The whole idea was to show their Eco stance. It rather defeats the idea to me. Save energy and save money should be the name of the game. Next they will be wanting a shoe allowance.”