COUNCILS in Oxfordshire have been criticised for paying workers “well above” the recommended mileage allow-ances, racking up an annual bill of almost £4.5m.

Every district council in the county pays up to 65p a mile to workers – 44 per cent more than the Government’s recommended rate of 45p.

It means a worker who claimed for 1,000 miles at 65p would be £200 better off.

Oxfordshire County Council only paid 40p in 2009/10, but its year-on-year mileage bill jumped from £3,523,244 to £3,537,636.

The figures were collected by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which campaigns for more effective public spending. All councils are making spending cuts.

Director Matthew Sinclair said: “It is shocking that the same councils that are pleading poverty are paying well above the recommended mile-age rate.

“Ordinary motorists who are feeling the pinch will be shocked that council staff are getting such a generous deal for their mileage claims. It simply isn’t fair.

“Some authorities have shown that it is possible to save millions by cutting back to the rate recommended by the taxman.

“This is a quick and painless saving that won’t affect council services and will ease the burden on households, who’ve seen council tax double in the last decade.”

All district councils increased rates from 58.7p a mile in 2008/09 to 60.1p and 65p the following years.

For Oxford City Council, this saw the total bill leap from £125,000 in 2008/09 to £145,000 in 2009/10, according to the latest figures available.

Council spokesman Annette Cunningham said: “We are phasing in the Inland Revenue approved rate of 45p per mile over the next two years for business journeys undertaken by employees using their own vehicles.

“From this April we have reduced the rate to 52p per mile and from April 2012 we will further reduce to 45p per mile.”

The total amount spent at South Oxfordshire District Council dropped from £226,790 in 2008/09 to £199,006 in 2009/10 and at Vale of White Horse District Council from £242,421 to £222,928.

The spend also fell at West Oxfordshire District Council, from £89,799 to £81,815 but rose at Cherwell District Council from £253,052 to £277,582.

Nationwide, £427m was paid out in mileage allowances in 2009-10 by councils to staff, compared to £402m in 2008-09.

Lancashire County Council topped the spending league table, at £8.8m.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Paul Smith said: “The county’s mileage rate was 40p and had been so since 1999.

“From 2011/12 this has been lowered to 35p to help the council save money. The council considers its mileage rates to be proportionate.”

South Oxfordshire District Council said casual users got 40p a mile while people who used their own car regularly got 65p. All went on to 45p from April 1, it said.

Chief executive David Buckle said: “The council has also reduced the amount of mileage undertaken by staff by over 20 per cent in the last two years.”

West Oxfordshire District Council said it had rates of 36.9p to 65p depending on the type of car and number of miles clocked up. It said its rate reduced to 45p from April 1.

Cherwell District Council had yet to respond at the time of going to press.