EXPENSES CLAIMED by Argyll and Bute councillors dropped by almost a third in the 2024/25 financial year — yet some councillors from Dunoon, Bute and Cowal were among the most expensive.
The newly published figures show that Councillor Audrey Forrest (SNP, Dunoon ward) claimed £4,914, making her the highest claimant among local councillors in the Cowal area and third-highest across the entire council.
Next in the local expenses league was Councillor William Sinclair (Liberal Democrat, Cowal) with £2,459, followed by Councillor Gordon Blair (SNP, Cowal) with £1,311, and Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon) with £1,456.
Councillor Renni Kennedy- Boyle (SNP, Isle of Bute) claimed £759, while Councillor Peter Wallace (Conservative, Isle of Bute) claimed £733. Councillor Daniel Hampsey (Conservative, Dunoon) submitted a comparatively modest claim of £214.
Meanwhile, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly (Conservative, Cowal) and Councillor Liz McCabe (Independent, Isle of Bute) claimed nothing in 2024/25.
The total claimed across the local authority area fell from £60,241 in 2023/24 to £41,775 in 2024/25 (excluding council-paid ICT and telephone costs totalling £5,291). That’s a drop of nearly £18,500 compared to the previous year, and over £21,000 down on 2022/23 figures.
The biggest individual claimant was Councillor Dougie McFadzean (SNP, Kintyre and the Islands) who was reimbursed £5,910, mostly for travel and overnight stays from his home on Islay.
He was closely followed by Councillor Douglas Philand (Independent, Mid Argyll) who claimed £5,192, largely for council car usage in his civic role as Provost.
At the other end of the scale, eleven councillors — including opposition leader Cllr Gary Mulvaney and his deputy Cllr Andrew Vennard — claimed no expenses at all.
In a statement accompanying the figures, Executive Director Douglas Hendry clarified: “The amounts shown are not the amounts actually received by councillors. Firstly, the remuneration payments shown are gross figures which are then subject to tax and national insurance deductions.
“Secondly, other expense payments relate solely to the reimbursement of actual expenditure incurred by the councillor and are all backed up with receipts. Thirdly, the council decided that it would be more effective, where necessary, to provide a broadband connection for councillors for council business related communication and telephone calls.”
“No reimbursement has been made to councillors in respect of such costs – these are paid for directly by the council on behalf of councillors. These are included in the table reflecting revised guidance issued on such costs.”
