I wish to thank Mike Owen, director of finance and E-Government for Bury Council, for replying to my comments regarding councillors’ travel expenses.

One does wonder why he felt the need to reply and not any of the councillors named in my letter.

I was present at the council meeting held on Wednesday, September 9, and the leader of the council, Bob Bibby responded to questions saying that he would reply in writing, so I presume he could reply himself.

Nothing in the letter from Mr Owen changes the questions I raised. I understand fully the need to pay ‘out of pocket’ expenses where there is a genuine reason.

The point I was making was unjustifiable expense claims. Is it really justified for Cllr Walton to claim £2.81p every time he has a briefing meeting with an officer of the council? Surely the amount of money paid to Cllr Walton (£7,870.31p for being a councillor, plus special responsibilities payments of £9,971.27p — a total of £17,841.58p) means there is a moral reason for not claiming these petty amounts from the council taxpayer.

Mr Owen never answered the question of payment of travel expenses to councillors who live outside the Bury boundaries. Anyone could stand for council who lived or had a business in Bury, then after being elected move home to well outside the Bury boundaries thereby claiming hundreds of pounds of taxpayers’ money for travelling to and from their new home. We voted for a councillor who resided or worked in Bury and it was their choice to move home, not the voters’.

Cllrs Bibby and Taylor choose to live in Stacksteads, well outside the Bury boundary and therefore should not claim travel expenses to this address. I dread to think how much it would cost if they moved to Wales or Scotland. Perhaps the poor council tax payer would have to pay the cost of a plane or helicopter to get them to council meetings.

Perhaps Mr Owen would also clarify the position of travel expense claims in relation to group meetings. Is this classed as a council meeting or a political meeting? It appears that not all the political parties hold their meetings in the town hall. As the Liberal Democrat group have been known to hold their meetings in a pub in Bury South and the Tories in a club, doesn’t this suggest that meetings of this nature are not council meetings and therefore travel expenses should not be claimed for group meetings. Each group could be discussing any number of points, which have nothing to do with the council.

John Nally Bolton Road Bury