Mileage scam

[AWB]

I Had Company cars for 25 years, the last 5 years I supplied my own vehicles. Most companies supply lease vehicles and you have a choice of vehicle depending on your job grade, a personal use charge( PUC) is normally charged and this again reflects your job grade,(the higher up the ladder you are the better the car for less money) this is Tax deductable.The fuel allowance for these type of vehicles is normally very low, reflecting the fact the Lease company are responsible for all the maintenance, Road Tax, etc. ( I think the Diesel mileage rate for these vehicles is around 12.5 pence at the moment.)We used to claim our mileage monthly and most employees found it difficult to break even at these rates, you need to drive very sensibly to get a good MPG.What most people don't realise is the Tax implications of having a Company car,HMRC charge you benefit in kind (BIK) on all vehicles and this can be £100+ per month depending on what vehicle you have.After the 3 year lease is up they expect you to return the vehicle in the same condition it was when new, if not charges are applied.
Using your own vehicle for work is totally different, yes you may receive 45P per mile but it goes nowhere, Tyres,servicing Road Tax , Insurance (Business use required) and wear & tear. Anything over 45p and you are taxed on the extra amount.(after 10,000 miles the 45P allowance goes down to 25 pence) Conditions of being on this type of scheme are that the vehicle must be available at all times, if you break down it is your responsibility to provide an alternative vehicle.
Regarding people on here talking about cycles and walking etc, its 2012!! it was not long ago people were complaining about the Council providing Mobile Phones and Computers, its all part of modern life now. If I wanted the Council Building Inspector to come to my premises I wouldn't expect him to walk, go on a Bus or turn up on a bike, I want him there Today!! Times have changed and everyone at work is expected to travel more, when I served my Time we only went as far as Stockton, when I left work 30 odd years later it was normal to "just go to Berwick" or "have a run down to Leeds" on a daily basis!
I think most posters on here are being unfair to the Council, allowing people to use their own cars must be saving them a fortune!! I know when you see the  figures in the Mail it does get your back up, but as I know there is more to this than has been explained, sometimes the true figures are conveniently left out!

[The Great Dictator]

Perseus, i think 45p would be an adequate amount to pay owner drivers.

[The Great Dictator]

No.6, i meant Wynyard village not Wynyard road, please re-calculate it all again. Part of Wynyard village belongs to HBC, did you not know that ?
Also bear in mind how much quicker it would be using a car and how much extra work could be done in the time saved ?

[The Great Dictator]

MK1, i don't know why the rate in Hartlepool is different to other north east towns, one of your 3 councillors would be able to address that query for you..

[mk1]

No.6, i meant Wynyard village not Wynyard road, please re-calculate it all again. Part of Wynyard village belongs to HBC, did you not know that

You can picture it can't you.
Hundreds of staff in the Civic claiming they have to visit the  tiny number of people living in Wynard 3 times a week.
You couldn't make it up- the spending policy is dictated by the extremes so as to grab more cash for the needy-greedy.

Also bear in mind how much quicker it would be using a car and how much extra work could be done in the time saved ?

Whenever you are asked a direct question (like why the rate is so high or the number of people  recieving it) you say you have no idea and we  contact our local whatever to  find out more.
Can you then explain why you are vigorously defending the  mileage rate if you have no idea of the detail?
We are not getting the full story here.

[no6bus]

No.6, i meant Wynyard village not Wynyard road, please re-calculate it all again. Part of Wynyard village belongs to HBC, did you not know that ?
Also bear in mind how much quicker it would be using a car and how much extra work could be done in the time saved ?

actually the village is in stockton and billingham i believe its wynyard business park thats in hartlepools area. and sorry you gave a particular example which was shown was practical although on that particular day a little more thought to visiting clients would have made sense.start at seaton then back to town for bus to clavering then to west view back to civic for lunch then or if you are visiting wynyard village lunch in the stables then back to greatham and finally back to civic.£4.80 dayrider plus covers all of the old cleveland authority area.

[steveL]

Don't you think we're over-analyzing this? I don't think anyone is questioning whether mileage should be paid. What they are questioning is why HBC pays more than the 45p the Inland Revenue says is the appropriate level. This is a perfect;ly valid question given that a third of local authorities are content to pay the approved rate.

Since last year, HBC pays a flat rate of 52.2p irrespective of the size of the vehicle. It also offeres cheap car loans AND loans to purchase bicycles - and if I remember correctly, it pays mileage for bicycles too which I thing is around 7p a mile.

[The Great Dictator]

No 6, you could travel in any direction, it's just an exercise to find out how long it all takes and how much time would be saved by car. Some of the houses in Wynyard are part of George Morris's ward, is it West ward nowadays ?

[stokoe]

Agreed Steve, that what I was saying, it comes down to WHY is it more than 45p....

Also, regarding bicycles, HMRC recommends 20p per mile i think. Maybe the fact that HBC pays about one third of the suggested rate for bikes (if the 7p you say is accurate), but 25% (ish) more than the recommended rate for cars, says it all.  Perhaps it explains why although we might see some of our councillors wearing lady gaga t-shirt lifting weights in the gym, you wont' see them on a bike much...

do you mean this.
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/losing-pounds-to-raise-pounds-1-4721439

[The Great Dictator]

MK1, my daughter spends £72 a week on diesel just getting to work and back and gets no allowances unless she does the odd call out. She is slowly burning her car out, in fact paid £400 on repairs to it last month. The extra pennies people get in car allowance help pay for these repairs and i would go one step further in fact, employees who come from out of town should also get assistance, maybe just 10p a mile for filling the gap in the skill shortage ? Working out of town is not a choice she would take but that's life !

[not4me]

I see no reason why anyone should be paid mileage to get to and from work never mind being given an 'extra' allowance. Do those who travel to work by bus or train get their fares returned?

[Donkey Kong]

...and i would go one step further in fact, employees who come from out of town should also get assistance, maybe just 10p a mile for filling the gap in the skill shortage ? Working out of town is not a choice she would take but that's life !

You've got to be one of these "trolls" that I've read about. 

There is no way that you could really believe the garbage that you come out with so you must be doing it for some kind of weird personal gratification.

[no6bus]

MK1, my daughter spends £72 a week on diesel just getting to work and back and gets no allowances unless she does the odd call out. She is slowly burning her car out, in fact paid £400 on repairs to it last month. The extra pennies people get in car allowance help pay for these repairs and i would go one step further in fact, employees who come from out of town should also get assistance, maybe just 10p a mile for filling the gap in the skill shortage ? Working out of town is not a choice she would take but that's life !

has she ever thought of getting a job nearer home?
my daughter works in washington and has a 40 mile round trip 5 days a week and only spends £30 a week on diesel !

[The Great Dictator]

Donkey co*k, you are an uneducated numpty and should return under your stone forthwith.

[Stig of the Seaton Dump]

I saw HBC 1V at the town hall on Saturday night.

Selling on that number plate and letting the car go would help the cash strapped council.

Probably cheaper to hire a Limmo for Cllr Simmons to attend the odd function, probably have more fun too ...win-win.