[jaysay]

Maybe, just maybe, if the Observer had published the whole facts about councillors expenses for staying away from home on council business, the big furore could have been avoided. I think, not for the first time the Observer have been guilty of using journalist licence or in other words why let the truth get in the way of a good story. The facts of the issue are as follows.
The allowances claimed by councillors are set by an Independent Revue Body, the allowances for overnight accommodation were set at £110 for accommodation and £10 for meal allowance around 5 or 6 years ago, on revue it was recommended the the maximum allowances be increased to £145 and £25 respectively. These amounts are not what councillors are paid but what is the upper limit that can be claimed. Councillors who stay away on council business have to furnish all receipts for meals and accomadation in order to claim back out of pocket expenses, a fact that was not mentioned in the Observer article last Friday. Over the last 12 months Councillor Britcliffe has stayed away on council business just one night, that was when he visited Downing Street representing Hyndburn. On this occasion his accommodation was pre-booked on line prior to going, the cost of which was £79 for overnight accommodation Bed and Breakfast in central London and he claimed £12-30p for an evening meal. I hardly think that by any stretch of the imagination can be classed as Living of the fat of the land