Official figures obtained by the M.E.N. show a total of £3.75m has been spent since 2004/05 on an estimated 1.57m journeys.
That is an average of 83 trips for each of the 18,000 officers and elected members and an average cost of around £2.40 a trip. Many journeys are short ones. Opposition councillors claimed money was being wasted on `non-urgent' road journeys at a time when the council was backing a congestion charge in return for £3bn for public transport.
Martin Eakins (Lib Dem, Northenden), who uncovered the figures, said people paying the charge would effectively be subsidising free cab rides for council staff. Black cabs and private-hire vehicles will be exempt from the planned peak-hour-only charge.
"This is a huge amount of council-tax payers' money, mostly spent on short journeys, mostly on non-urgent matters," he said. "The people I represent will wonder why they have to pay to cross the M60 in rush-hour to subsidise council staff who won't have to."
Council leaders rejected claims of wastefulness and said the amount spent on cabs had dropped `sharply' in recent years. The figures, prepared by the town hall's Ian Brown show £1.1m was spent on cabs in 2004/05, £1.03m in 2005/06, £1.02m in 2006/07, and £600,000 in 2007/08.
The total does not include a further £100,000 a year spent on home-to-school transport for children with special educational needs.
Impact
The drop in 2007/08, says Mr Brown, `reflects the impact of the changes in Neighbourhood Services through various housing stock transfers and joint ventures'. The council has been in the process of passing responsibility for large numbers of council homes into the hands of other bodies.
Mr Brown predicts a further £400,000-£500,000 will be spent on 200,000 journeys a year for the next two to four years. The council has a contract for taxi journeys with local companies which give it cut-price rates.
Coun Bernard Priest said the bill for taxis had fallen by 40 per cent in one year - and would continue to fall. He disputed the figure for the total number of trips - saying he believed it was probably `rubbish'.
The figures come a month after pro-congestion charge councillors put the brakes on plans to build themselves an underground car park next to the town hall. The u-turn followed an outcry when the idea - which would have seen the multi-million car park built t yards from a tram stop - was revealed by the M.E.N. Tweet
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So how much will this be when the CONcharge starts getting added to this bill.
Oh, and this will be paid for directly with our council taxes.
The more I hear of manchester council's spendthrift ways - there more angry I am at the people that voted this shower into office in the first place. Things like this havent just happened - how much of our money is being wasted in this way every year - not just by Manchester but by every council in the land? I think these people should start looking at what WE want to be done with the money we have to pay them - after all - are they not supposed to work for us???
Yet another example of the hypocrisy of Manchesters councillors. Maybe MEN should compile the numerous examples into one hard hitting expose (you could always hire a freelancer if your people arnt up to it) and see what the councillors have to say. That would be interesting reading!
Does it not suggest that if the average cost of a taxi journey was only £2.40 then the illustrious Councellors and Council officials employed by Manchester City Council could have walked the distance to wherever they were going on some of their journies thus saving the financially battered council tax payer in Greater Manchester a bob or two. Or is walking something that is only fit for the electorate to do?
Buses would be far better for them, and cheaper. Never mind the increased journey time factor. Here is their big chance to show GM residents an excellent example.
Manchester Council are members of the magic circle
They can make our hard earned money disappear in no time.
outrageous!!
How nice for them in effect then the proposed congestion charge wont bother them at all they will just use cabs. Its about time these local councils and councillors account for what OUR cash is spent on. Not only do they get exhorbitant salaries the extras they claim is a farce. I remember the story of the councillor getting housing benefit, benefit she wasnt entitled to. Put your money where your mouth is labour and sort this out and the rest of the "Scams" you so called men/women of the people are.
This is a disgrace and further evidence of the complete disregard and contempt for the tax payer. I work in the private sector and we were stopped from using taxis over 10 years ago. Its this kind of waste that needs dealing with and quickly.
A shocking waste of money. Are these people not held accountable for such wastes of public money?
Whats up with using public transport?
Oh I forgot they tell us to do one thing and do the complete opposite themselves.
DISGUSTING. and they want us to fund bus companies to expand their fleet. GRRRRRRrrrrrr
So that's why there is a taxi rank located outside the town hall. Just goes to confirm yet again that millions of pounds a year are being wasted.
I really need a job at the council, seems like a proper cushy number.
They should buy one of those cars,that wheels fall of and is multi coloured??the local circus has one for sale it would look in place at the "CLOWNHALL" IT WOULD BE CHEAPER...HEHEHEHE
Let them buy ( with their own money ) a fleet of fold-up cycles .
Hypocrites .. the lot of them.
Have you not all realised that the congestion charge is designed to reduce traffic so they can get quicker free taxi journeys around the city.
I would be interested if any cabbie commented on just how far £2.40 is. You should also note that if this is the average then 50% of the journeys were shorter than this figure.
If I could get my taxis paid for by work then i'd take full advantage. Fair play.
Can't make my mind up whether to buy a lottery ticket, or apply for a job at the Town Hall.
What's wrong with using the free bus or 50p tram journey or shanks' pony? Any journey within 1 mile should be under own steam.
Looks like we're being taken for a ride
It's rather weird that Cllr Priest (Pro-Congestion charge Labour Councillor and 'Cabinet' member for Finance) believes these figures are "rubbish" as these figures came straight out of the Town Hall.
Perhaps he simply cannot beleive the sheer extravagence and hypocrisy itself?
Cllr M Eakins
Dont worry about the cost us council taxpayers will foot the bill as always
Pure Animal Farm.Bet they won't have to pay the CON trick when it comes in either.The Councils and Government SHOULD be run like private companies and be made publically accountable.Instead they are self serving animal farm pigs.
And this is the lot who want us to beleive will look after our transport system? and the congestion charges...you couldnt make it up.
It would be a great deal cheaper to buy a vehicle/pay for a driver to transport these very important porkers.
Evidently it is beneath them to use public transport along with the peasants/untouchables, otherwise known as council tax payers.
Why is this such a shock?
Its far easier to waste other people's money...no doubt if this perk was taken away public transport would be used more often.