I only used your Bentley to save money on taxis, claims local Tory leader

1.49.00pm GMT Thu 12th Nov 2009

(This particular Bentley is courtesy of arthursclipart.org)

In his latest excuse for the unusual use of the publicly owned Mayoral Bentley, Kensington & Chelsea Council Leader Merrick Cockell has said that he only used the car "to save the cost of taxis". The surprising claim came in a statement prepared by the Council for the Hammersmith & Kensington Times in response to an article published today entitled 'Town hall chief is blasted over trips'.

The article also looks into the expenses claims of Cllr Cockell, including his overseas trips in his role as Chairman of London Councils, paid for by Kensington & Chelsea taxpayers. Robin Meltzer, Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Kensington, told the paper:

"It's our money, and residents deserve to know how blasé Cllr Cockell has been with it. But more than that, it's about exposing how the Council's systems, which are supposed to be in place to protect the interest of residents, are actually functioning to protect Cllr Cockell instead."

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Read the Hammersmith & Kensington Times article.