Councillor defends £14k allowance

A LLANELLI county councillor has defended his pay, which sees him pocket nearly £1,000 each time he attends a council meeting.

Councillor John Jenkins, of Elli ward, received £14,476.04 in allowances last year for attending just 15 formal council meetings.

Councillor Jenkins did not claim any travelling or subsistence expenses over the same period.

At the other end of the league table of meetings attended by Carmarthenshire councillors is council leader Meryl Gravell, who attended 191 formal meetings for her £47,181 allowance, plus £768 travel expenses and £113 subsistence expenses.

Councillor Jenkins, who is not aligned to any of the main political parties, said the figure was "slightly misleading, taking into account all the other things I do as a councillor."