£5m spent on hire cars over five years for Welsh Civil Servants

£5m spent on hire cars over five years for Welsh Civil Servants

The costs of hire cars for Welsh civil servants are to be reviewed as details emerge of £5m spending over five years.

The Welsh assembly government said the system was "carefully managed" and it was examining how to reduce costs and the hire contract is being re-tendered.

A spokesman said officials worked in sites across Wales and had to travel to meet firms and organisations.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats branded the spending outrageous as families around Wales were tightening their belts.

Leader Kirsty Williams had used a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to get the details of car hire use.

The figures showed around £1m a year was spent hiring cars used by Welsh civil servants totalling £5m since 2004.

£1m a year hire car costs review (BBC News, 12 June 2009)