"Councillors should pay for first class travel" - Lib Dem Assembly candidate

12.00.00am GMT Sat 4th Nov 2006

Cllr. Ed Bridges (Lib Dem Assembly candidate for Cardiff North)

The following letter appears in today's South Wales Echo from Cllr. Ed Bridges, Lib Dem Assembly candidate for Cardiff North:

Dear Sir,

I read with interest your piece (1st November) regarding councillors travelling first-class at the ratepayer's expense.

While the popular perception may be that some councillors are 'in it for themselves', this is certainly not true of us all. Since being elected in 2004, I have never claimed a penny in travelling expenses (first class or otherwise), and I do not intend to either. Neither do I claim parking expenses, subsistence allowance or even reimbursement for stamps (for letters which, incidentally, I type myself rather than expecting council staff to do for me). Quite simply, the basic allowance councillors receive is, to my mind, more than enough payment for the job we are expected to do. If councillors want to travel first class, they should pay for it out of their own pockets!

I hope this helps give your readers a balanced view of Cardiff's councillors and highlights that some of us aim to be frugal, out of consideration for the taxpayer.

Yours faithfully,

Ed Bridges

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Gabalfa ward