Former Essex Police Authority Chairman made “genuine mistake” in false expense claim

A FORMER chairman of Essex Police Authority (EPA) has been asked to pay back nearly �10,000 in wrongly claimed mileage expenses.

Uttlesford district and Essex county councillor Robert Chambers told the Reporter and the Broadcast that he had made a “genuine mistake” by claiming more mileage expenses than he was allowed.

Cllr Chambers explained that the EPA only pays a higher rate of mileage on the first 5,000 miles, not the 10,000 that he claimed for – information that he said the EPA finance office failed to disclose to him.

“The district council pays a higher rate up to 10,000 miles and I wrongly assumed it was the same,” said Cllr Chambers. “The EPA did not pick it up so each year I was being overpaid without anyone realising – that is how the discrepancy came about.”

Cllr Chambers - who was chairman of the EPA for nine years before stepping down in February - said he is more than happy to pay back the money but believes the situation was handled poorly.

“The EPA has requested that I repay the money which I am happy to do – the cheque is ready to go - but I have written to ask for assurances that there will be no further claims. I am just waiting to hear back from them,” he said.

“I am not happy with how this has been handled – I had no communication with them from February, when I left, until November. “It was a genuine mistake but, had it been dealt with differently, it could have been settled by now. Instead I have been dragged through the Metropolitan Police system, which has been very stressful for me and my family.”

Cllr Chambers was interviewed by the Met police and also had his bank accounts investigated but no further action has been taken.