Concerns raised over £7,000 mileage expenses

MICHAEL WILKINS made a series of “questionable claims” for mileage expenses, according to the audit report which also said a £14,000 lump sum car allowance payment seemed “excessive”.

The report said a “significant, unquantified, element of the £7,000 mileage expenses paid... in respect of consultancy work was made outside of any formally approved policy/scheme”.

Mr Wilkins claimed mileage expenses at 40p per mile for travelling from his home to work on days that he was working as a National Leader in Education (NLE) providing specialist support to other schools – even if he was actually carrying out the work while being located at Outwood Grange.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The chairman of governors, Jim Walkden, indicated to auditors he had approved the arrangement but the report said “there is no evidence to support authorisation”, adding: “On this basis not all mileage payments were legitimate as they should have been paid in line with existing policy.”

Mr Wilkins, who either travelled from the family home on Teesside or a residence in York bought with the help of £7,000 accommodation expenses, is recorded as refuting that he has been overpaid.

Auditors did not examine all the claims but did cite examples of “questionable claims” drawn from a sample of submitted by Mr Wilkins in support of the claims. These included twice claiming £52 for travelling to Outwood Grange from the Teesside home in August 2008.

The report stated: “Mr Wilkins would have incurred this mileage regardless of NLE activity in fulfilling his role as headteacher of Outwood Grange. It is therefore difficult to comprehend why he should be paid mileage for the journey and how or why this was approved.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A claim for mileage between Teesside and York is also highlighted as appearing “to be in respect of travelling between Mr Wilkins’ two homes at the weekend...”

Outwood Grange governors also approved a £14,000 lump sum car allowance payment as part of a remuneration package in April 2009. At the same time, governors also agreed to raise Mr Wilkins’ salary to £178,000.

The school told auditors the payment “was approved in recognition of the significant distances that Mr Wilkins was required to travel as part of his growing role under the NLE programme.”

Related topics: