Westmorland and Furness Councillors have collectively claimed over £33,000 in expenses since the 1st of April 2023 when the new council replaced the former district councils and county council with one of the four Penrith councillors claiming the most of all 65 councillors in the first year of the new council.
Councillors are not paid a salary for their work, but they do receive an annual Basic Allowance to cover the time that they put in to their role and, in some cases, also a Special Responsibility Allowance for particular roles which carry additional responsibilities, such as the Leader of the Council.
They can also claim for certain expenses which arise from their approved duties as a councillor, such as meals and travel expenses that are claimed on top of the set annual allowance paid to each councillor and the extra allowances some councillors have including cabinet members and committee chairs receive.
Out of the 65 councillors on Westmorland and Furness Council with seven of the top ten highest expense claims made by councillors from Eden area with the single highest expense claim made by the former Eden Council leader and Westmorland and Furness Penrith South Councillor and cabinet member Cllr Taylor who on top of her annual allowance of £26,000 also claimed additional expenses in the past 12 months of £3114.28 claiming more in expenses than the leader and deputy leader of the council.
of the 65 Westmorland and Furness councillors 27 councillors claimed no additional expenses including the second Penrith South Councillor Cllr Eyles.
The four councillors serving the two wards covering Penrith each claimed:
Cllr Taylor - Penrith South £3114.28 plus £26,000 allowance
Cllr Bell - Penrith North £1651.12 plus £28,600 allowance
Cllr Rudhall - Penrith North £222.10 plus £13,000 allowance
Cllr Eyles - Penrith South £0 plus £13,000 allowance
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