Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren claimed the most expenses in the last financial year, documents have revealed.

Data has been released by Glasgow City Council, detailing the money claimed back by local authority members.

Ranking at the top of the list of overall claims is Jacqueline McLaren, with £7,090.85.

Out of this sum, £6,463.04 was spent on travel, £538.00 on accommodation, £538.00 on subsistence, £9.31 on IT and telephone bills.

She is followed by council leader Susan Aitken with £5,414.68, and Hanif Raja with £4,512.15.

Number four and five are Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, with £4,014.74 and Imran Alam, Labour councillor for Govan, with £2,792.54.

Altogether, the council spent £61,460.85 on officials' expenses, £2,052,378.07 including salaries.

Glasgow Times:

Out of the councillors, most did not claim any car mileage, however, the most expenses were put through by Hanif Raja, Labour representative for Pollokshields, just over £4,000.

Similarly with accommodation, only a few people claimed money back, with Susan Aitken at the top, with £1,451.26.

For subsistence, only two officials put money through, Annette Christie, £87.98 and Jacqueline McLaren, £80.50.

Glasgow Times:

A council spokesman said: “The travel and accommodation costs allocated to senior members – and, in particular, the council leader - reflect the number of meetings, engagements and events they are required to attend and take part in on behalf of the council.

“These can include local, national and occasional international travel; with transport and accommodation often organised by officers and paid in advance.

"In some circumstances, the decision to travel – and to meet the costs involved - will have been taken by committee.

“These obligations are in addition to the ward duties carried out by all members.”

Raja said: “I have bailie duties and I do five surgeries per month. And community councils in the ward.

“It is a lot of distance to cover.

“I am on the road quite a lot, so my car mileage is a bit high. There is a lot of work.

“My business manager knows about the mileage. I am the only Labour councillor in the ward.

“The car is quite big. It is a Lexus 600. It has a 6000cc engine.”

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A spokesperson for Jaqueline McLaren said: “The travel and accommodation costs allocated to the Lord Provost reflect the number and the diverse range of civic engagements and events they are required to attend and take part in on behalf of the city.

“They are, overwhelmingly, costs recorded by the council, not personal claims for reimbursement.

“These can include local, national and occasional international travel; with transport and accommodation often organised by officers and paid in advance.

“These obligations are in addition to the ward duties carried out by all members.”

To view the full figures, visit here.