COUNCILLOR George Freeman discusses councillor expenses in his latest column, and questions whether the information on Argyll and Bute Council's website is completely accurate and up-to-date.

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Concerns were recently raised by members of the public relating to the information contained on the Argyll and Bute Council website on councillors’ interests.

The regulations require all councillors to provide the council with a return containing their declared interests and their election expenses.

Although information on councillor’s interests is published on the council website against each councillor, it is now clear to me that the council is being selective on the information they disclose to the public on the website.

Although I made a return to the council on all my election expenses, I have now discovered that the council states on the website that I had no election expenses, which is clearly untrue.

The website also states that I am in receipt of remuneration as a member of the board of the National Park, even though I left the National Park board over 16 months ago.

What is even stranger is that the website does not disclose to the public that another councillor, who joined the board of the National Park more than 16 months ago, is currently in receipt of remuneration.

As result of this irregularity, I reviewed the information that the council is publishing on their website and it now appears to me that it is not worth the paper it is printed on.

Although councillors are required to declare any property that they own or rent, 10 councillors have declared no property or have stated “none” or “N/A”. This begs the question: are these 10 councillors living in tents or are they roofless?

Although, as highlighted above, the website states that I have “none” election expenses, which is untrue, when we look at the information on the election expenses of the other 35 councillors, only 11 appear to show election expenses while another 11 show ‘none’, ‘nil’, ‘N/A’ or have nothing listed.

Almost a year after the elections, another seven councillors’ election expenses details are shown as “still to be finalised”.

I wish I knew how to stand for election to the council without incurring any expense as that would save me hundreds of pounds.

If the council website is correct, then questions need to be asked as to how difficult it is for some councillors to make a few simple calculations on their election expenses?

The question must be asked if the council is being open and transparent on these issues? My view is that they are not.