Council's SNP leader blows whistle on "rife" expenses fraud

Oct 14 2010 Hamilton Advertiser

FIDDLING expenses was rife among South Lanarkshire councillors, the Leader of the authority’s SNP Group claimed this week.

Anne Maggs made the comment after she was accused of fraudulently claiming first class rail fare for a journey to a conference made in another councillor’s car – at no cost to herself.

Councillor Maggs admitted she travelled to Torbay, for a four-day conference on waste, in a Vauxhall Corsa driven by Labour councillor Gerry Convery.

She said they were joined in the small, 1300cc hatchback by former Labour councillor Carol Hughes.

Both councillors Maggs and Convery admit they claimed £249 first class rail fare for the journey to and from England’s south coast.

Councillor Convery told the Advertiser last week that the rail fare was cheaper that the mileage costs of travelling to and from Torbay.

However, councillor Maggs said council rules at the time stipulated that members could travel by car outside Scotland but were only allowed to claim up to the cost of first class rail fare.

She claimed that in 2006 she and councillor Convery again attended the Torbay conference.

Again, both claimed claimed first class rail fare of £262.

Councillor Maggs said she travelled to and from the conference in cars driven by Council leader Eddie McAvoy and a council official.

She claims councillor Convery made the return journey in the official’s car. Councillor Convery denied the allegation.

Councillor Maggs said: “At the time I am accused of fraud, every councillor attending a conference outwith Scotland would be handed the cost of first class rail fare, plus the standard accommodation allowance.

“The councillor would sign a receipt to show he/she had received the money.

“Councillors were not required to produce tickets, receipts etc and reconcile their expenses on return.

“It was at the councillor's discretion whether he/she travelled by car or train. “Similarly, it was at the councillor’s discretion whether he/she stayed in a good hotel or cheap B&B.

“If you had a friend or relative living in the area where the conference was being held then you had ‘won a watch’ and could pocket the whole accommodation allowance.

“I could fill a book with stories about councillors away at conferences but at this stage it will suffice to say that staying in a cheap hotel or B&B and travelling by car was common practice.”

Councillor Maggs said the expenses system had changed and now all claims had to be covered by receipts.

Councillor Convery said: “I went by train to the conference in 2006. It has taken Anne Maggs months to come back and seek to defend herself and this is just tit-for-tat and I am not getting dragged into it.

“Anne Maggs can make what ever allegations she likes but at the end of the day she has to prove it.

“I am not getting into the same gutter as her.”

E-mails containing allegations that councillor Maggs fiddled expenses were circulated to council staff earlier this month.

They prompted chief executive Archie Strang to call in the council’s independent auditors to examine councillors’ expenses.

SNP Group spokesman Sheena Wardhaugh said they were taking legal advice on a possible civil court action concerning the allegations in the e-mails.