BOURNEMOUTH’S 54 councillors received more than £760,000 in allowances in the last financial year, latest figures show.

All councillors receive a basic allowance of £9,290 and then special responsibility allowances are paid to cabinet members, group leaders and the chairpersons of certain committees.

The basic allowance has been frozen in Bournemouth since April 2009, while the special responsibility payments were cut by five per cent in 2011 and have not been increased since.

Council leader Cllr John Beesley said: “Councillors are charged with some fairly important responsibilities around public finance and provision of public services.

“This is a unitary authority and it’s a big organisation, which I think we’ve been steering through some very difficult times extremely effectively.

“This council is one that I always refer to as a member-led authority.

“That means there’s far greater input from members than might normally be the case and I hope that the evidence proves that that’s been extremely effective, particularly around the public finances.”

He said members included “some very talented people with huge experience”.

Cllr Beesley, who is also leader of the Conservative group, drew the largest amount, at £36,566.

But Geoff Cooper of the campaign group A Better Bournemouth took issue with the ‘special responsibility’ payments.

“Once that part of the payment comes into operation, they’re under an obligation,” he said.

“I had a word with a councillor recently who was considering jumping ship but says he can’t because he can’t afford to.

“That’s not the way a local authority should be run. Democracy has gone out of local government completely.”

Several councillors also claimed back money spent travelling to council meetings or on council business.

Deputy leader and education portfolio holder Nicola Greene received £22,764 in allowances, while her husband Mike, also a cabinet member, received £20,530.

Husband and wife councillors Michael and Anne Filer, both cabinet members, received £20,341 and £20,324 respectively. All members of the cabinet received more than £20,000, as did planning chairman Cllr David Kelsey.

Labour group leader Cllr Ben Grower drew £15,953, Independent leader Anne Rey £13,188 and Liberal Democrat leader Carol Ainge £11,231.

What the Bournemouth 54 received last year

Cllr John Adams £13,315
Cllr Carol Ainge £11,231
Cllr Mark Anderson £17,012
Cllr Sue Anderson £11,054
Cllr Amedeo Angiolini £9,290
Cllr Linda Bailey £12,818
Cllr Mark Battistini £12,075
Cllr Beryl Baxter £11,936
Cllr John Beesley £36,566
Cllr Derek Borthwick £10,394
Cllr Bob Chapman £13,703
Cllr Stephen Chappell £15,467
Cllr Eddie Coope £13,808
Cllr Rodney Cooper £9,995
Cllr Blair Crawford £22,378
Cllr Anniina Davie £4,773
Cllr Malcolm Davies £15,467
Cllr David d’Orton-Gibson £13,421
Cllr Beverley Dunlop £13,703
Cllr Johann Edward £11,054
Cllr Anne Filer £20,324
Cllr Michael Filer £20,341
Cllr Barry Goldbart £9,290
Cllr Michael Greene £20,530
Cllr Nicola Greene £22,764
Cllr Dennis Gritt £9,332
Cllr Ben Grower £15,953
Cllr Cheryl Johnson £9,290
Cllr Jane Kelly £20,324
Cllr David Kelsey £22,529
Cllr Ian Lancashire £9,290
Cllr Robert Lawton £20,730
Cllr Sue Levell £9,290
Cllr Roger Marley £9,368
Cllr Chris Mayne £9,349
Cllr Jane Montrose £15,911
Cllr Andrew Morgan £18,116
Cllr Susan Phillips £11,342
Cllr Lynda Price £14,025
Cllr Anne Rey £13,188
Cllr Chris Rochester £10,352
Cllr Allister Russell £9,361
Cllr Gill Seymour £9,290
Cllr David Smith £20,526
Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts £10,760
Cllr Rae Stollard £9,290
Cllr Theo Stratton £12,158
Cllr John Trickett £11,482
Cllr Chris Wakefield £15,256
Cllr Michael Weinhonig £13,703
Cllr Roger West £11,936
Cllr Ron Whittaker £13,703
Cllr Lawrence Williams £20,324
Cllr John Wilson £10,881