Cheshire East councillors’ allowances and expenses cost the public purse more than £1.3million last year.

Figures obtained by the Express reveal that £92,117 was claimed in travel expenses and £354,448 in special responsibilities on committees and cabinet positions.

The nine elected councillors representing Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Handforth claimed more than £170,000 in total.

Top claimant among them was council leader, Wilmslow South Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald, who received £45,255.

The lowest claimed was by his ward colleague Coun Gary Barton, who received only the £11,199 basic allowance.

Coun Fitzgerald defended the total bill, but predicted the amounts claimed would fall in 2011.

"We have been setting up a new council," he said. "It is the third largest authority in the North West and the fourth or fifth in the North. We didn’t spend in a profligate manner. All money I claimed was on rail fares or petrol. It is a requirement to go standard class now. If the figure is sensational in some people’s eyes then I tell you - it was hard work. We are making every effort to preserve the public purse."

Payments revealed cover CEC’s first 12 months as a local authority up until March 2010, and include all 81 elected councillors across 27 wards.

Among the expenses councillors can claim for are rail tickets, mileage, meals when working for more than four hours, telephone line rental, childcare and printer cartridges.

All councillors’ allowances and expenses are due to be published on CEC’s website very soon according to a spokesman.

The breakdown of what Wilmslow and Alderley councillors claimed (basic allowance is included) was as follows;

Jim Crockatt (Wilmslow North)

  • No special responsibilities
  • £789.12 on travel
  • £2 on general expenses
  • £1 on subsistence (food and drink)
  • Total: £11,992

Don Stockton (Wilmslow North)

  • £601.10 special responsibility payment
  • £890.70 on travel
  • £2.50 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £12,694

Paul Whiteley (Wilmslow North)

  • £7,280.04 special responsibility payment
  • £622.89 on travel
  • £2.50 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £19,105

Gary Barton (Wilmslow South)

  • No special responsibilities
  • 0 on travel
  • 0 on general expense
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £11,199

Wesley Fitzgerald (Wilmslow South)

  • £27,999.96 special responsibility payment
  • £5,224.24 on travel
  • £831 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £45,255

Rod Menlove (Wilmslow South)

  • £6,036.56 special responsibility payment
  • £1,824.65 on travel
  • £7.50 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £19,068

Carolyn Andrew (Alderley)

  • No special responsibilities
  • £1,242.92 on travel
  • £74.99 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £12,517

Elizabeth Gilliland (Alderley)

  • £2,460 special responsibility payment
  • £1,145.20 on travel
  • £1.50 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £14,806

Frank Keegan (Alderley)

  • £14,000.04 special responsibility payment
  • £2,746.03 on travel
  • 0 on general expenses
  • 0 on subsistence
  • Total: £16,746.07