NEW figures show Kirklees Council’s leader claimed nearly as much for train fares, food and hotel stays as the other 78 councillors put together.

Clr Mehboob Khan received £5,254 in 2011/12 for travel and subsistence outside Kirklees – 46% of the total amount for all 79 councillors.

But the Greenhead Labour man said yesterday he had many duties, including attending meetings of the Local Government Association (LGA) in London.

“As full-time council leader, I frequently represent Kirklees at a local, regional and national level,” said Clr Khan.

“In the last year I have also chaired the LGA’s Safer Communities Board – something which means I can raise our successes and our issues with the leading experts in the country, and fight at a national level to bring improvements in public health.

“I also campaign on issues like metal theft and fight for us to receive our fair share of investment to improve our economy and the number of local jobs.

“Working with the LGA on such important topics means that the benefits are felt directly in our own communities.”

Clr Khan added that he tried to keep his claims to a minimum.

“I am always conscious of the cost of travelling to meetings and for that reason I only ever travel standard class and look to group meetings together to limit the journeys I have to make,” he said.

“I have only claimed for two hotel stays as I sleep on a sofa bed at my son’s flat when I am in London.”

The figures released yesterday showed that Kirklees councillors claimed £11,195 between them last year for travel and subsistence outside Kirklees.

The information runs from April 1, 2011 until March 31, 2012 and includes 79 councillors, including 10 who either retired or lost their seats at the council election in May 2011.

The expenses are on top of the basic allowance of £12,566 a year which is paid to every councillor.

Senior members of Kirklees also receive a special responsibility allowance, which ranges from £1,227 for serving on the Overview and Scrutiny Management Group to £25,155 for leading the council.

Twenty councillors claimed expenses for work outside Kirklees last year.

Green leader Clr Andrew Cooper was second on the list behind Clr Khan, receiving £1,523.

The Newsome man said: “I don’t claim for food and I never have.

“I have LGA responsibilities that require me to go down to London every now and again. I’m trying to find ways to get the LGA to cover more of those costs.”

Clr Cooper added that his LGA work was worthwhile.

He said: “I chair the Inland Flood Risk Working Group. We’ve had a number of problems with flooding and insurance in Armitage Bridge and I’ve been able to raise that with people in Government.

“It’s really useful getting people on the spot at the highest level. Occasionally you get to nobble a minister about the things which are affecting people on the ground and there’s real value to that.”

Lib Dem leader Clr Kath Pinnock was fifth on the list, claiming £608 in 2011/12.

The Cleckheaton woman said she had reduced the number of journeys to London in the last few years.

“I do a lot of my work with the LGA by telephone conference rather than spending time and money going down to London,” said Clr Pinnock.

“I’ve done that for the last two years. Now and again you have to go down.

“I asked for that to be set up because I thought it was a lot of money to go down to London every six weeks. I think it works really well.”

Conservative leader Clr Robert Light was 12th on the list, claiming £189.

The Birstall and Birkenshaw man believes residents benefit from councillors attending national meetings.

“As council leader and party leader part of our role is travelling outside Kirklees to represent the borough and be involved in regional and national matters. I do believe that’s an important ambassadorial role,” he said.

“I think it’s very important that political and official leadership of Kirklees is not insular and is constantly looking at how others are doing things.

“It would be nice to think we have a majority of good ideas but we don’t.”