COUNCILLORS have failed to lend their support to two motions proposed by the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Monmouthshire County Council for members to cap their mileage claims and pay an annual charge for currently free car parking places at County Hall.

Councillors were asked to consider the two motions proposed by Councillor Phil Hobson which would have seen mileage rates reduced and councillors paying a fee for their reserved car parking spaces based upon the carbon emission of their cars.

Revenue raised from both motions would be donated to a new Monmouthshire Carbon Compensation Fund.

County Councillors in Monmouthshire receive up to 48.5p per mile if attending a meeting of the council or an 'approved journey', which contrasts with the recommended rate of 40p by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs which is followed by neighbouring Newport, Torfaen and Gloucestershire.

Councillor Hobson told fellow councillors that the current system rewarded the use of cars with bigger,more polluting engines, "In effect, the more emissions that any of us produce, the greater the mileage allowance. This is a negative reward. This can't be right.

 "Instead, councillors should be taking the lead and act as an example on carbon emissions and climate change. We have to stop beating people about with a stick.

"This motion doesn't make judgement of what motor vehicle the councillor uses, you are all free to chose your vehicle but we have to respect the environment.

"The current mileage allowance scheme actually rewards people for polluting the environment, the bigger your car engine the more you get per mile. Basically it is an indulgence."

Research carried out by the Liberal Democrats revealed that the move could raise in the region of £10,000 per year.

He said that environmental fund would mean the council could invest in environmental projects and public transport schemes, increasing the train service between Abergavenny and Chepstow for example, he said, "Monmouthshire could start leading the way."

Responding to the motion, Councillor Paul Jordon told the meeting that 40p per mile rate to encourage greener vehicle use is likely to be adopted by MCC in December.

Councillor Giles Howard said that he had a 1.9 diesel car which produces less omissions that Councillor Hobson's own 1.2 petrol car.

Councillor Graham Down said, "We are being asked to support a scheme to have money taken from us to put into a fund that doesn't exist.

"Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs rate was fixed in 2001, we ought to be pressing the treasury for the likes of nurses and others who travel around the country.

"A lot of us do a lot of travelling that we can not claim for, Councillor Hobson can probably walk around his ward but for some us who live in rural wards it is not the case."

The second motion under discussion saw councillors asked to support an annual one off car parking charge based upon the carbon emission of each individual councillor's car.

Starting at zero for the cleanest cars, the charges would increase to a maximum £400 a year for the most polluting.

Councillor Hobson told fellow councillors that if the scheme was introduced, MCC would be ahead of the game.

He cited the decision by the Conservative authority to increase car parking charges across Monmouthshire in 2007 which was intended to "encourage the use of alternatives such as public transport, car sharing, cycling, and walking thereby reducing carbon emissions."

Councillor Giles Howard then described Councillor Hobson (pictured) as 'a hypocrite' who did little himself to reduce the carbon emissions.

He went on to produce a copy of Councillor Hobson's Facebook page which states he has been to 680 cities in 16 countries.

"He even shows holiday snaps of Cuba," said Councillor Howard, "and an all day jeep safari.

"I went on CarbonFoot.com and worked out that his travels represent some 1.7 tonnes of CO2 that's 170 return trips to MCC on an average of 57.50 miles.

"Councillor Hobson works in Cardiff, why hasn't he done the green thing and moved there? I haven't been on an airplane for five years, it's a case of do as I say not as I do."

Councillor Hobson responded by saying, "It is time to think about the future. The map on Facebook shows a lifetime of travel, yes I did go to Cuba last year but it was my first Transatlantic flight. Of the 680 cities, most are in this country. I didn't have a car until five years ago.

"As I have said twice, I am not casting judgment, I am asking you to do what is right.

"If it is good enough to increase car parking charges by 30 percent for residents and visitors than it is good enough for us."

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Hobson said that he was "disappointed" with the lack of support.

He said, "We didn't really get a debate on the merits of the measures being proposed. We didn't get a debate on what we as councillors could do to take the lead. It just seems that the Conservatives in particular would not entertain the idea that we have to start cutting back and living within our means."

 He added, "All of us are part of the solution. Had the motions been passed, we would at last have been taking a lead. We, as a council, promised to do this in June of this year. Now we have failed."

•A poll on this website asked readers should Monmouthshire County Councillors be called upon to make cut backs in their travel allowance?

So far record breaking results have showed that 83 per cent of visitors to the site have voted that councillors should make cut backs to their travel expenses and pay for car parking at County Hall.