THE WINTERTONS claimed more than £4,000 to keep their London home clean over four years, new expenses details have revealed.
Lady Ann Winterton was refunded the sum in her monthly MPs’ additional cost allowance (ACA) – published officially by Parliament a fortnight ago.
The couple spent £90 on a cleaner for their second home, a flat in London.
Lady Winterton also used taxpayers’ money to deck out their second home with a £67 towel rail, an £18 toilet brush holder, £380 worth of bathroom accessories and two pillows, for £85.
John Gould, managing director of Chelford Cleaning Ltd, in Macclesfield, said that at £90 a month the Winterton’s were probably charged for four hours cleaning every fortnight.
He said: "It sounds about right. Here we average about £10 an hour, but in London I would expect it to be a little more.
"For that you would get your kitchens and bathrooms thoroughly cleaned, your floors, bedrooms, dusting, polishing. Even if a couple don’t live there all the time, they would get the same thorough job each time and travel would be a factor."
Sir Nick and Lady Winterton were caught up in the expenses storm after revelations in the Daily Telegraph that the pair had racked up more than £100,000 between 2004 and 2008 – including a £11,410 food bill.
They have since announced they will step down due to the pressure of living in public life.
Speaking to the Express at the time, Sir Nick said: "I have claimed for subsistence, as I am entitled, as people do in all walks of life, according to the official rules. There is no reason why I should subsidise the job and I have absolutely no intention of paying these expenses back. Why should I?
"Do you have a lavatory brush holder? I expect you do. Everybody needs one."
Lady Winterton declined to comment.
