Published: Thursday, 3rd June, 2010 7:10am

West Fife councillors at top of expenses table

by Gary Fitzpatrick

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WEST Fife councillors are at the top of the expenses league table in new figures just released.

There were big variations in the figures claimed with some councillors taking nothing at all while others ran up costs of almost £6000.

West Fife villages Lib Dem councillor Gerry McMullan, chair of the licensing and regulation committee, whose frequent meetings take place throughout Fife, topped the list on £5879.81.

Next in descending order is Provost Frances Melville on £5800.76 and then comes Dunfermline South SNP councillor Brian Goodall, chair of the housing and communities committee, with his expense claim of £5558.34.

This included travel costs of £3108.77 plus £1171.31 under training/conference/meeting expenses and took his total salary and expenses to £30,206.28.

SNP colleague and council leader Peter Grant made £40,011.64 between his salary and expenses. His wife, Fiona Grant, is also a councillor and she made £23,262.90.

Another SNP husband and wife team is Deputy Provost Lizz Mogg (Dunfermline Central) and her husband David (Dunfermline North). Mr Mogg had the higher expense claim of £1591.35 compared to his wife's £976.

West Fife villages SNP councillor Bill Walker had a claim of £1592.98 for telephone bills and IT in his overall expenses of £4020.16.

Tony Martin, Lib Dem councillor for Dunfermline South and transport committee chair, claimed £4551.21 in expenses out of an overall £29,199.15 (salary and expenses).

Some councillors claimed zero expenses. Labour's David Ross was in that category as was independent Bryan Poole and the SNP's Alistair Hunter.

Mike Rumney, who is on the regulation and licensing committee alongside Gerry McMullan, claimed only £58 for travel.

Labour's Willie Sullivan claimed nothing for transport, his expenses only consisting of £680.48 for telephone/IT.

Lochs councillor and Labour group leader Alex Rowley also claimed no travel costs, only claiming for his telephone/IT. costs of £1017.20.

Rosyth councillor Pat Callaghan claimed nothing for his phone bill and his £640.07 travel costs made up his whole expenses.

Also among the low-claimers was Tory Dorothea Morrison, at just £16.42, while her party colleague, Dave Dempsey (Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay), claimed £1970.98.

West Fife villages councillor Willie Ferguson lives in Kincardine, one of the most outlying communties, but did not claim any travel costs and his expenses of £623.65 were all from telephone/IT.