£400K in pay and expenses
Two per cent drop in cost for taxpayers over year
There has been a two per cent drop in the amount of salaries and expenses paid to Stirling’s councillors.
But the overall cost of the 22 members’ remuneration remains well over £400,000.
Figures released by the council show that in the 12 months to March 31 this year, councillors cost the taxpayer £427,234.25 compared with £435,847.79 in the previous 12 months.
Johanna Boyd, who stood down as council leader before the council elections in May, was the authority’s highest-paid councillor. Her total of £30,491.99 included a salary of £28,145.41 and expenses of £2,346.57 including £1,260.45 for mileage and £546.73 for telephone and other ICT (information and communication technology) expenses.
SNP Group Leader Scott Farmer was the second highest paid. His total remuneration of £22,112.81 included a salary of £21,109.33 and expenses such as £313.65 for mileage, £395.83 for telephone and ICT and £122 for training, conferences, etc.
Former education committee convener Alistair Berrill , with a total of £22,073.23, was the third highest-paid councillor. The Tory received a salary of £21,109.33, £540.90 for mileage, £384 for telephone and ICT plus other payments.
In total, 12 councillors received salaries and expenses totalling more than £20,000.
Salaries for 2016-17 totalled £406,503.41 compared with £413,950.19 in the previous 12 months.
Mileage payments fell £1528.64 on the £13,913.32 paid to councillors in 2015-16.
Most of the £12,384.68 of mileage claims reimbursed in 2016-17 went to councillors living and representing parts of rural Stirlingshire.
Highest mileage claimant was Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl (£3998.70), who served as public safety committee convener in the last administration.
He told the Observer: “A very big rural ward with a lot of meetings and issues to deal with equals a lot of miles.”
Two other Trossachs and Teith councillors also had high mileage claims: SNP member Alycia Hayes received payments of £2307.15 while her party colleague Fergus Wood had £3171 reimbursed to him.
Ex-councillor Boyd chalked up the highest payments for telephone and ICT followed by former councillor Gerry McLaughlan (SNP) with £410.48 and Labour councillor Violet Weir with £400.53.
Accounts also show that the costs in 2016-17 of the civic car, used by the provost and bailies on civic duties, was £8571.50. That figure comprises vehicle depreciation charge of £5,900 and fuel costs of £1,500 with the remaining amount covering repairs and maintenance, insurance and road tax. The overall total compares with a figure of £9051.20 for the previous 12 months.
In February last year, the council spent £32,398.23 on acquiring a new civic car, an Audi. Officials said it represented better value for money than the leased Mercedes E-Class which it replaced.
A very big rural ward with a lot of meetings and issues to deal with equals a lot of miles