ADVANCES in mobile phone technology have seen Oxfordshire County Council’s bill for the devices more than double in two years.

The authority said the advent of more expensive devices such as BlackBerries – which access the internet and email – had led to the increase.

Its £47,309.53 three-month bill for July to September 2008 had risen to £122,751.24 in the same three months in 2010. Its latest bill, for January to March, was £119,377.99.

Some 3,270 employees out of 6,650 have mobiles, information obtained by the Oxford Mail under the Freedom of Information Act shows.

Four staff have iPhones and 611 staff and 21 councillors have BlackBerries.

And it is now trialling two iPads to see if they can be used around the authority.

Council spokesman Paul Smith said workers such as those in fire and rescue, highway and trading standards departments needed mobiles. He said: “The advent of devices such as BlackBerries has seen the costs rise but has assisted staff in being able to access emails while on the move, which leads to the council being able to work more quickly. As a result the technology helps them and the council be more responsive.”

Oxford City Council provides 787 out of 1,177 employees with mobiles, with a further 98 employees and seven councillors having BlackBerries. It also has two iPads. Its Vodafone bill was £160,278.62 last year. A spokesman said: “Mobile phones are now an everyday tool in the modern work place. They help the council to operate more efficiently and to improve service delivery.”

At Vale of White Horse District Council, 75 employees out of 179 had phones, with five more using BlackBerries.

At South Oxfordshire District Council this was 115 out of 245, with a further 29 using BlackBerries. No councillors have mobiles.

The 2010/11 bills for Vale and South Oxfordshire were £11,892.54 and £23,056.66 respectively. A spokesman for both councils said: “Many council employees are required to work away from the council offices.”

Some 237 out of 480 Cherwell District Council staff and 35 councillors have mobiles. Its bill was £44,325.19 last year.

This includes 66 employees and 35 councillors with BlackBerries.

At West Oxfordshire District Council, 112 employees out of 303 have mobiles while a further 72 staff and five councillors have BlackBerries. Its bill last year was £26,405.95.

Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With budgets tight, it’s areas of spending like this where there are real opportunities to drive down costs and save taxpayers’ money.”

And she said the spending on iPads was “incredible”, adding: “An affordable laptop would perform most of the same functions.”