Council spends £57,000 on taxis

Norwich City Council said taxi bills have increased above inflation

A Norfolk council has been criticised by one of its members after figures showed £57,000 had been spent on taxis.

Adrian Ramsay, spokesman for the Green Party on Norwich City Council, said such spending was excessive and needed to be justified.

The council has said that all taxi journeys were authorised by managers, but admitted its taxi bill has risen faster than inflation.

It said taxis and other transport was used to get staff out of private cars.

Mr Ramsay said: "Council officers and councillors do need to use taxis to get to meetings that are a long distance from the city centre, but that really should be kept to a minimum.

"We do need to be using public transport alternatives and even the pool cars that the council has would be a more efficient way of using taxpayers money than taxis."

'No unnecessary journeys'

Norwich City Council has defended the bill, but said it was trying to cut its travel costs.

In a statement it said: "Norwich City Council uses pool cars which we hire, and taxis, trains and planes but in each case we will try to use both the most economic and environmentally friendly method of travel.

"Every journey is justified at managerial level and we don't make unnecessary journeys.

"Taxi fares have risen above inflation in the last three years, but we are currently reviewing this provision with the aim of making it more economic to the council."