Llanelli AM's £4,800 bill for hotel rooms under fire
LLANELLI'S AM racked up a £4,846 bill for hotel rooms over the past year — more than double that of any other Assembly Member.
Keith Davies made 32 claims for stays in hotels in Cardiff covering 60 nights since he was elected last year — at a cost of £2,200 more than the second highest claiming AM.
His total represents 15 per cent of all hotel claims made by AMs since May last year.
Robert Oxley, campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance described it as "unbelievable" that one AM could mount up such a costly bill.
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"Keith Davies should explain why his time at hotels is costing taxpayers much more than it is for other members," he said.
"Politicians shouldn't forget who is paying their expenses when they need overnight accommodation, and should do more to control the cost."
Labour said his hotel claims were less costly than claims made by other AMs who rent flats.
His spokesman said: "The total cost of stays away from home claimed by Labour's three AMs in the Mid and West Wales region was £16,598 compared to £19,713 by two Conserv- atives and £38,791 by the four Plaid Cymru AMs.
"Keith Davies's claims for staying away from home were much lower than most other AMs as during that time period he did not have permanent accommodation away from Llanelli."
It is the second hotel controversy for the AM this year. In May Mr Davies apologised to constituents following a drunken incident at the St David's Hotel in Cardiff.
Mid and West Wales AM Simon Thomas claimed £1,363 on 10 hotel stays in the year, as well as £7,635 for a second home in Cardiff. is spokesman said hotel claims were made before Mr Thomas found a second home.
Labour said Mid and West Wales AM Joyce Watson's £10,126 claim for a second home, and £545 for the eight occasions she needed a hotel room, can be explained as she lives in Pembrokeshire and needs a flat to fulfil AM duties and as a member of three committees.
The spokesmen added the claims were made in line with rules set by an independent board.
Comments
by weslangdon
Friday, July 27 2012, 4:20PM
“My understanding is that the WAG does not have late night sittings as its intention is to be family friendly; having said that there are lots of events, receptions, junkets that go on in the evening. So staying late and over-nighting has an elemernt of choice rather than obligation.”
by sochat
Friday, July 27 2012, 1:47PM
“Champagne soialists.”
by odinhouse
Friday, July 27 2012, 12:59PM
“Doe's this include the woman/women as well that he takes back.? to the Hotel...? But also note - he does NOT Claim for a 2nd home unlike the others do that are Entitled to it..?”
by Petert53
Friday, July 27 2012, 12:38PM
“bennyhill4
It's not me making the rules - it's HMRC. And what is the difference between a member of the public, a taxpayer , who has to commute between, say Llanelli and Newport, or Cardiff and Bristol? Why should they effectively be penalised because they are not an AM?
I full agree that where commuting is not possible, say from Aberystwyth, mid Wales or north Wales than it is fair that AM's should receive help with renting a small flat in Cardiff, but overnight stays from someone living in Furnace - it's taking the mickey”
by bennyhill4
Friday, July 27 2012, 11:56AM
“Peter53.Whilst agreeing to some of the points you made,where is the fairness in am's living in llanelli or even north wales compared to the am's living in or near cardiff paying their own fares to go to their place of work.You say the majority of am's representing us are poor but want to put financial burden on them.How is that supposed to encourage people at the top of their game to stand for am's?”
by Petert53
Friday, July 27 2012, 11:34AM
“Let's be honest, Keith Davies is on a par with the majority of the AM's we have representing us - very poor. He so wanted to be an MP and get on the Westminster gravy train, but the best he could do was the Cardiff talking shop. But, in his eyes he's managed to redeem the situation - he has found (or been told) that he can milk the expenses.
Other than a very late night sitting, e.g. after 11:00pm, I see no reason for him to be staying in a hotel in Cardiff at all - he should travel to and from his home to his place of work in the same way as everyone else. He has the choice of using his car (for which no mileage allowance should be paid as HMRC expect that you make your journey to and from your place of work at your own expense) or public transport, e.g. train - again at his own expense.
Not staying at an hotel would also save him, and his party, from the embarrasment of enjoying too much taxpayers funded drinking at hotel bars and demonstrating to one and all that he's only in it for what he can get out of it.
A typical second rate politician”
by Kaiser_Macsen
Friday, July 27 2012, 9:51AM
“ArthurRittick
Does that mean that I keep the lawnmower?
I really should stop thinking that commenters are keeping to the subject of the article i.e. expenditure and reporting of expenditure.”
by ArthurRittick
Friday, July 27 2012, 9:40AM
“Kaiser FYI, my comments were about political will, outlook & policy & NOT about expenditure. If you look carefully - depite the spelling mistake - I did not use any figures at all!
Still I suppose you're one of those die-hard Labour supporters, who will go on supporting them, even when they lead you to political oblivion & obscurity. The political process in this country is fundamentally flawed & morally bankrupt.”
by Kaiser_Macsen
Thursday, July 26 2012, 7:53PM
“ArthurRittick
I think that your calculation is different to mine.
I make it
3 Labour AMs claimed £16,598 - Avg £8299.00
2 Conservative AMs claimed £19,713 - Avg £9856.50
4 Plaid Cymru AMs claimed £38,791 - Avg £9697.75
Anyway, I say give them sleeping bags and make them kip on the Sennedd floor. Plenty of toilets, hot drinks machines and choc bar dispensers to hand so, what more do they need?
If they want a treat, they can dial for a pizza.”
by ArthurRittick
Thursday, July 26 2012, 7:19PM
“Anyone expwcting the Welsh Labour party to sort this out: Don't hold your breath! The public need to realise that politicians today are only in it for what they can get out of it. The Labour party are, unfortunately given their roots, the worst of all. They bring new meaning to the term hypocritical!
It's just too bad that at the next election, we'll get the same dross standing & the same dross returned to get their snouts in the trough = at our long-suffering expense!”