Journalist Charlotte McCathie put in a Freedom of Information request to the Isle of Wight council last month, to discover how much the council’s Chief Executive has claimed on expenses for his travel over the last few years.
The results below, show that Chief Exec Steve Beynon has claimed only around £1,000 a year on travel and hotel expenses.
Many will be pleased to see that Steve has limited himself to Standard levels of travel, not any highfalutin’ Business Class luxury.
No claim for mileage, taxis or chauffeurs
Over the period reported on, 2008-11, no expenses have been claimed for mileage, taxis or chauffeurs – items that Charlotte McCathie had specifically asked for. Steve clearly prefers to let the train take the strain – encouragingly Green.
Hotel expenses claimed have been minimal, with only two claims in 2008 and nothing since.
A few surprises
On the surprising side – there are quite a few claims for ~£5 Tube tickets by the near £150,000/year boss.
A couple of claims for £4.50 parking in the IW council car park might stick in the throats of others working at the council, who have to pay for their parking at work out of their own wages.
Overall, it’s likely that those who watch these things will be pleased that the Island’s Chief Exec is keeping an eye on the pennies when he travels on Isle of Wight business.
| Date | Cost | Description | Class | |
| 5 Aug 08 | £28.05 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting on the mainland | Standard | |
| 7 Aug 08 | £143.94 | Booking for flight to Belfast | Economy | |
| 12 Sep 08 | £16.52 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for meeting in Fareham | N/A | |
| 15 Sep 08 | £28.00 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Southampton | Standard | |
| 29 Sep 08 | £3.60 | Portsmouth Isambard , meeting in Portsmouth | N/A | |
| 6 Oct 08 | £202.50 | Premier Inn (Belfast City) for meeting in Belfast | N/A | |
| 6 Oct 08 | £26.35 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Belfast | Standard | |
| 15 Oct 08 | £7.00 | TFL MFM Stratford B- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 22 Oct 08 | £27.85 | Island Line Ltd (Ryde)- Catamaran and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 4 Nov 08 | £40.00 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Southampton | Standard | |
| 16 Nov 08 | £4.00 | TFL MFM Liverpool STR- Train travel for meeting in Oxford | Standard | |
| 16 Nov 08 | £213.00 | Holiday Inn (Oxford) for meeting in Oxford | N/A | |
| 16 Nov 08 | £21.00 | FGW Self Service (London)- Train travel for meeting in Oxford | Standard | |
| 5 Jan 09 | £53.50 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for travel from the mainland | N/A | |
| 23 Jan 09 | £53.50 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for travel from the mainland | N/A | |
| 11 Feb 09 | £36.45 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for travel to the mainland | Standard | |
| 23 Feb 09 | £12.00 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red Jet for meeting in Southampton | N/A | |
| 4 Mar 09 | £63.50 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for meeting in London and Berkshire | N/A | |
| 29 Apr 09 | £16.80 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red Jet for meeting in Southampton | N/A | |
| 12 May 09 | £45.50 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for meeting in Surrey | N/A | |
| 8 Jun 09 | £12.00 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red Jet for meeting in Southampton | N/A | |
| 8 Jun 09 | £52.50 | WIGHTLINK FERRIES- Car ferry for meeting on 11 June 2011 in Surrey | N/A | |
| 19 Jun 09 | £66.50 | RED FUNNEL WEB BOOK IT- Red Jet and train for travel to the mainland | Standard | |
| 30 Jun 09 | £5.60 | RED FUNNEL- Red Funnel for meeting in Harrogate | Standard | |
| 30 Jun 09 | £15.00 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red jet for meeting in Harrogate | Standard | |
| 14 Jul 09 | £83.30 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 17 Jul 09 | £33.80 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 20 Jul 09 | £29.50 | NX EAST ANGLIA- Train travel to London for meeting | Standard | |
| 21 Jul 09 | £29.50 | NX EAST ANGLIA- Train travel to London for meeting | Standard | |
| 23 Jul 09 | £33.80 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 23 Jul 09 | £5.60 | TFL MFM- Transport for London for meeting | Standard | |
| 24 Jul 09 | £29.50 | NX EAST ANGLIA- Train travel to London for meeting | Standard | |
| 3 Sep 09 | £29.20 | SW TRAINS WATERLOO- Train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 7 Sep 09 | £29.20 | SW TRAINS WATERLOO- Train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 22 Sep 09 | £24.00 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red Jet for meeting in Southampton | N/A | |
| 28 Sep 09 | £20.26 | WIGHTLINK-Ferry travel for meeting in Brighton | N/A | |
| 5 Oct 09 | £17.50 | NX EAST ANGLIA- Train travel to London for meeting | Standard | |
| 15 Oct 09 | £30.65 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 5 Nov 09 | £30.65 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 24 Nov 09 | £28.56 | WIGHTLINK-Ferry travel for meeting in London | N/A | |
| 30 Nov 09 | £24.00 | RED FUNNEL SOUTHAMPTON K- Red Jet and train for meeting in Southampton | Standard | |
| 21 Jan 10 | £43.20 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 21 Jan 10 | £5.60 | TFL MFM- Transport for London | Standard | |
| 3 Feb 10 | £5.60 | TFL MFM- Transport for London | Standard | |
| 3 Feb 10 | £17.40 | WEST COWES TICKET OFFICE- Red Jet for meeting in London | N/A | |
| 3 Feb 10 | £24.08 | WIGHTLINK-Ferry travel for meeting in London | N/A | |
| 4 Feb 10 | £38.00 | STAGECOACH SOUTH W- Train for meeting from London | Standard | |
| 4 Feb 10 | £4.00 | TFL MFM- Transport for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 11 Feb 10 | £29.50 | LONDON EASTERN RAI- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 11 Feb 10 | £45.20 | STAGECOACH SOUTH W- Train for meeting from London | Standard | |
| 15 Feb 10 | £13.00 | LONDON EASTERN RAI- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 15 Feb 10 | £10.10 | STAGECOACH SOUTH W- Train for meeting from London | Standard | |
| 5 Mar 10 | £16.00 | WIGHTLINK-Ferry travel for meeting in Fareham | N/A | |
| 10 Mar 10 | £24.90 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Basingstoke | Standard | |
| 15 Mar 10 | £29.50 | LONDON EASTERN RAI- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 16 Mar 10 | £29.50 | LONDON EASTERN RAI- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 24 Mar 10 | £17.40 | RED FUNNEL SOUTHAMPTON K- Red Jet and train for meeting in Netley | Standard | |
| 25 Mar 10 | £13.00 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Winchester | Standard | |
| 31 Mar 10 | £85.20 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 14 Apr 10 | £50.30 | EAST MIDLANDS TRAIN- Train travel for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 14 Apr 10 | £45.20 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting from London | Standard | |
| 14 Apr 10 | £5.60 | TFL MFM- Transport for London for meeting | Standard | |
| 16 Apr 10 | £4.00 | TFL MFM- Transport for London for meeting | Standard | |
| 5 Jul 10 | £5.60 | TFL MFM- Transport for London for meeting | Standard | |
| 6 Jul 10 | £15.85 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in Bournemouth | Standard | |
| 7 Jul 10 | £28.90 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for Bournemouth | Standard | |
| 8 Jul 10 | £28.90 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for Bournemouth | Standard | |
| 20 Jul 10 | £85.20 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 26 Jul 10 | £11.22 | HOVERTRAVE- Hovercraft for meeting in Portsmouth | N/A | |
| 26 Jul 10 | £4.50 | ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL-Car parking | N/A | |
| 9 Sep 10 | £15.60 | EAST MIDLANDS TRAIN- Train travel for meeting in Maidenhead | Standard | |
| 9 Sep 10 | £22.95 | RED FUNNEL-Red Jet and train from meeting in Maidenhead | Standard | |
| 14 Sep 10 | £74.10 | WIGHTLINK- Car ferry for meeting in Marlo | N/A | |
| 22 Sep 10 | £4.50 | ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL-Car parking | N/A | |
| 18 Oct 10 | £17.40 | RED FUNNEL SOUTHAMPTON K- Red Jet and train from Mainland | Standard | |
| 22 Oct 10 | £34.37 | WIGHTLINK-Ferry travel for meeting in London | N/A | |
| 26 Oct 10 | £11.22 | HOVERTRAVEL- Hovercraft for meeting in Portsmouth | N/A | |
| 10 Nov 10 | £41.00 | WIGHTLINK- Car ferry for meeting in Fareham | N/A | |
| 10 Dec 10 | £85.20 | RED FUNNEL- Red Jet and train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 21 Dec 10 | £13.20 | STAGECOACH SOUTH W- Train for travel to the mainland | Standard | |
| 4 Jan 11 | £58.00 | WIGHTLINK- Car ferry for travel from mainland | N/A | |
| 27 Jan 11 | £26.60 | STAGECOACH SOUTH- Train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 31 Jan 11 | £13.00 | STAGECOACH SOUTH W- Train for meeting in Portsmouth | Standard | |
| 9 Feb 11 | £18.20 | RED FUNNEL SOUTHAMPTON K- Red Jet and train for meeting in Netley | Standard | |
| 10 Feb 11 | £37.60 | STAGECOACH SOUTH- Train for meeting in London | Standard | |
| 9 Mar 11 | £13.00 | RED FUNNEL GROUP- Red Jet for travel to mainland | N/A | |
| Source | http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ceo_expenses_9#incoming-179163 | |||
Image: the_stig under CC BY-SA 2.0
