HYNDBURN opposition leader Councillor Graham Jones has admitted he is prepared to hand back planning committee allowances he claimed after missing nearly half of last year’s meetings.

Councillor Jones excused himself from seven out of 16 sittings of the borough’s most prestigious committee due to work commitments, but still claimed the full £724 ‘special responsibility’ allowance.

According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the taxpayer paid out just under £300,000 in Hyndburn councillors’ allowances in the last financial year.

Councillor Jones, who has since left the planning committee, said he was unable to attend meetings when they were switched to morning start times mid-year but admitted he did not realise he had missed so many.

He said: "When I went on the committee I believed I could attend most of the meetings. I would be more than happy to give money back to the council. I’m not in it for the money and I’m quite happy to give all the money back. If somebody said to me I don’t deserve the allowance I would probably agree."

Over 16 meetings between May 2008 and April this year the absence rate of planning councillors was 20 per cent, higher than the worst school in the country.

Only once, in January, did all the members attend planning and only Councillor John Griffiths, who received an allowance of £6,582 as chairman, attended every meeting.

Councillor Munsif Dad missed six meetings as did Councillor Susan Haworth, although she claimed less than her full entitlement as she asked not to be paid for the period before her retirement.

She said: "I took a reduced allowance as I don’t like being paid for things that I’ve not done."

Hyndburn’s chairman of the scrutiny committee Councillor Doug Hayes has pledged to raise the issue of special responsibility allowances at the next scrutiny work programme.

He said: "If people are willing to take up these positions they should give it their full commitment. I will ask that we have a look at the way the benefits are paid out to people and whether they are earning it. If you don’t attend a meeting and you call a substitute then that sub should pick up the money."

Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "I would love to pay allowances only on an attendance basis but because of the current rules that apply to us from a national level we are not allowed to do that.

"I think these are matters for a councillor’s conscience but if they were on the planning committee and didn’t attend perhaps they should claim a reduced allowance."

Councillor Jones has also expressed his support for an attendance based system, and has accused the Tories of "milking the system" by monopolising all the most senior roles for which allowances are paid.

Council leader Peter Britcliffe’s allowance of £31,297 was the highest amount paid out to any member, comprised largely of the leader’s special allowance of £20,448, plus £1,187 in mileage and £859 in carers’ allowance.

The highest petrol allowance was racked up by deputy leader Councillor Peter Clarke, who received £1,334 at 57 pence per mile, while Councillor Pamela Barton received the fixed mayoral allowances totalling £6,858.

Overall, Councillor Malcolm Pritchard was the lowest claimant, taking just £1 of his basic allowance of £4,498.