Karen and Bill Tomlinson

An investigation has cleared two leading Telford & Wrekin councillors of wrongdoing after taxpayers paid for a rescheduled private flight so they did not miss a vital meeting, it emerged today.

Liberal Democrat group leader Bill Tomlinson and his wife Karen said there had been no need for the inquiry into them and they have now demanded an apology after being given”incorrect” advice on expenses.

The Shropshire Star exclusively revealed last September that the couple were originally booked to fly out to Scandinavia before a meeting of the full council on May 24, 2007, on a flight paid for by Mr Tomlinson’s employers.

The flight was rescheduled for after the meeting so that the couple could attend. They voted for Labour to retain overall control of the council but the Tories seized power by one vote. The Tomlinsons then flew out on the rescheduled flight.

Telford & Wrekin Council chief executive Victor Brownlees said an external, independent investigator appointed by the authority had carried out the inquiry and his recommendations were accepted by the standards referrals sub-committee that met on May 10.

Change

He added: “After considering the report, the committee concluded that neither councillor breached the council’s code of conduct.

“A separate but related internal audit investigation concluded that such claims were not allowable under the council’s scheme.

“It also noted that a change to the scheme in June 2008 means that this could not happen again and that the cost of the claims had been fully repaid.”

He added: “I accept that these councillors did not receive the correct advice from senior officers at that time but point out that procedures were changed prior to this query being raised. Those who were involved and gave this advice are no longer with the council.”

The Tomlinsons said in a joint statement today that their expenses claims were only made on the advice of council officers and they called for an apology.

The statement added: “We believe we were entitled to rely on that advice and that it should not have been given and the claims should not have been processed if there was any doubt.

“We note that the council has been advised that the expenses scheme as drafted is vague and should be clarified.”

The statement added: “Had we been told that the expenses were not recoverable we would not have made claims.”

By Simon Hardy