Details of the allowances paid to members of City of York Council in the financial year ending March 2003 have been released this week.

The council spent £588,430 on allowances in the last financial year - a total increase of £23,430 from the previous year.

The allowance scheme, which was agreed last year, focuses on the responsibilities of individual councillors and includes a basic allowance as well as special responsibility allowances, where applicable. Richard Clark, head of civic, democratic and legal services, City of York Council, said: "Paying councillors' allowances is consistent with the government's drive to make it easier for people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in local government.

Allowances play an important part in ensuring that we are able to attract people to become councillors in York."

This year the council's budget for councillors' allowances has been reduced by £101,000 because of a reduction in the level of a number of special responsibility allowances, a decrease in members from 53 to 47 and a reappraisal of the total amount required to pay member allowances.

Any changes to allowances are approved by the council after receiving advice from the Independent Remuneration Panel.

2002/3 Cumulative figures:

Councillor Total £ Bell, B.A. 11317.94 Blakeborough,J 5305.70 Blitz, N,W 5781.60 Boardman, J. 8567.90 Bradley, M.J. 12594.77 Braund, S.E. 6546.30 Briggs, H 7206.15 Brighton, T.M. 8567.90 Brumby, M.H.K. 11916.09 Cregan, R. 12417.86 Dean, G.H. 5391.02 Edge, E.S. 10451.03 Evans, D 9968.90 Farrington, R. 9968.90 Fletcher, R.D. 7131.08 Galloway, S. 14505.86 Galloway, S.F. 22420.94 Galvin, J.C. 17698.74 Greenwood, J 7641.57 Hall, A.C. 16721.77 Henderson,D 5183.90 Hills, R.I. 9024.93 Hogg, C.M. 6022.94 Hopton, J.S. 5183.90 Horton, D.A. 5666.04 Jones, A. 18850.94 Kind, V. 21647.07 King, K.W. 10451.02 Kirk, M.A. 7733.94 Livesey,D.G. 14505.86 Looker, J.M. 18850.94 MacDonald, Q.J.A. 12208.71 Merrett, D.M. 28304.89 Morley, J.P. 7933.94 Potter, R.E. 17698.74 Reid, A.L. 14505.86 Runciman, C.E. 10209.82 Scrase, R.E. 18850.94 Simpson-Laing, T 16480.12 Smallwood, D.W. 18850.94 Snowdon, R.J. 5183.90 Tarry, K.A. 5183.90 Tarry, S.P. 5507.86 Vaughan, J. 8567.90 Vaughan, P. 11665.21 Waite, C.A. 5903.40 Walker, T.J. 8326.70 Waller, A.M. 14505.86 Watson, B.W.J. 7787.70 Watson, M.R. 6385.53 Waudby, I.M. 13177.71 Waudby, M.K. 10763.90 Wilde, D.A. 5183.90 CUMM TOTAL 588430.93