COUNCILLORS in Inverclyde have claimed £4,000 less in the last year according to the latest expenses figures.

The bill for the area’s 20 elected members in the last 12 months was £18,292.

Expenses for the previous year — 2015/16 — came in at £22,204, meaning the total has fallen by £3,912.

Former provost Robert Moran recorded the biggest drop year on year with his bill down by £5,687.

Councillor Moran’s latest total was £1,234 — down from £6,922 12 months ago.

Provosts and their deputes are ‘charged’ by the council — costs which are met by the local authority but for which they receive no money for — for the provost’s car, which must be used on official business when they are wearing the chains of office.

The majority of Mr Moran’s expenses — £1,118 — was for car mileage with the rest on telephone and computer expenses.

Depute provost David Wilson, who has been re-appointed to the role following the recent council election, overtook Mr Moran into top spot in the table with a bill of £3,351 for 2016/17.

But the ward one councillor — who claimed £400 less than the year before — defended his total.

Councillor Wilson said: “I have a big ward which requires a lot of travelling — ward one is the most rural ward.

“I’m also on a significant number of outside bodies, including the National Association of Councillors which means I have to travel certainly twice a year to London.

“As depute provost the cost of the provost’s car goes against my name as well and as chair of the planning board I visit every agenda item.

“Quite frankly it’s the sign of a busy councillor and that was reflected in the vote I received at the election, which effectively doubled.”

The lowest claimant last year was James McColgan, who stood down at the election to focus on his law career, with a bill for just £114.

He was closely followed by Martin Brennan with expenses of £118.

Mr McColgan was also the cheapest councillor overall with a combined salary and expenses of £17,026 while council leader Stephen McCabe was the most expensive elected member with a total of £30,549.

Councillors are also ‘charged’ for training and conferences with expenses incurred for ‘other travel’, car mileage and subsistence.

The expenses bill will rise next year with the addition of two new elected members following a national restructuring of wards.

Expenses payments to councillors 2016-7:

Ronnie Ahlfeld -

£1,494.94

Martin Brennan -

£118.39

Keith Brooks - £237.66

Math Campbell-Sturgess

- £874.30

Jim Clocherty - £663.74

Gerry Dorrian - £722.61

Jim Grieve - £321.19

Vaughan Jones -

£859.20

Terry Loughran -

£1,658.52

Jim MacLeod - £1,812.47

Stephen McCabe -

£2,359.98

James McColgan -

£114.00

Michael McCormick -

£214.44

Chris McEleny - £595.34

Joe McIlwee - £711.74

Robert Moran -

£1,234.46

Innes Nelson - £605.40

Ciano Rebecchi -

£131.82

Kenny Shepherd -

£210.75

David Wilson - £3,351.13

TOTAL: £18,292.08