It’s good to see expenses published

Sep 11 2009 Dumfries Standard Friday

Sir – I am pleased to see expenses of elected members published at last.

As you know, it was a major scandal with the Westminster Members of Parliament and made headlines for a long time.

We also need openness and transparency with local elected members, as a council tax payer we need to know how much our local elected members are claiming.

The comments of the Labour group leader are right, that all members should be accountable to what they can claim and members expenses can be viewed online.

I fully understand members claiming their legitimate mileage expenses on the distance they travel, but I have no time for junkets/trips.

It was also nice to see Ronnie Nicholson, Jeff Leaver, John Martin, Colin Smyth claimed no mileage expenses as well as the Conservatives members Ivor Hyslop, Provost Jack Groom and Graham Bell.

But the press did not pick up that Tory member Graham Bell from North West Dumfries did not take a salary rise – surely this is a good news story and this should have been commented on.