This is the start of the new TopOfTheCops initiative to collate expenses and allowances claims for candidates' previous experience of public office. To learn more or to give any general feedback on this initiative go to the 'Meet the Professionals' post, saving comments here for those relevant to Avon and Somerset.

Pete Levy – Liberal Democrat

Mr Levy became a Bristol Councillor and a member of Avon and Somerset Police Authority in 2010, and therefore has partial year claims for 2010-11 and 2011-12 and no claim for 2009-10.

According to Bristol City Council he claimed the Basic Councillor Allowance of £10,188.44 in 2010-11 and £11,416 in 2011-12. He did not claim any expenses for either of these years, though other Councillors did.

According to Avon and Somerset Police Authority he claimed the Basic Member Allowance of £7,109.23 in 2010-11 and £9,444 in 2011-12, but also had an additional Special Responsibility Allowance in 2011-12 of £2,358. Again, he claimed no expenses, though other members did.

This gives Peter Levy total income from these posts of £17,297.67 in 2010-11 and £23,218 in 2011-12.

Ken Maddock – Conservative

Cllr Maddock was Leader of Somerset Council for most of 2009-2012 and a member of Mendip District Council till 2011. He stepped down from the leader's role to fight the PCC selection.

According to Somerset County Council (latest year here, earlier years supplied after FOI) he claimed Basic Allowance of £9,639, £9,847.57 and £9,879.96 in each of the three years, and Special Responsibility Allowance of £24,262.57, £29,567.78 and £29,640 respectively. He had the highest travel and subsistence claims in the County Council (not in itself unusual for a Council leader) of £4,114.13, £4,960.99 and £5,499.65 respectively.

Mendip District Council has him claiming basic allowance of £3,605.04, £3,460.80 and £367,05 in each of the 3 years, and travel expenses of £98.80 and £102.80 in the first 2 of those years.

This gives Ken Maddock total income from these posts of £41,719.54 in 2009-10, £47,939.94 in 2010-11 and £45,386.66 in 2011-12.

Dr John Savage CBE – Labour

Dr John Savage replaced Bob Ashford as Labour Candidate. Dr Savage has had a long career in the business community in the South West and has a long list of registered interests, many of which appear to be unpaid. From them I have extracted the following paid public appointments:- Chairman of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and Board Member of the recently disestablished South-West Regional Development Agency.

According to the published Annual Reports of the NHS Trust, Dr Savage was remunerated in a pay band of £50,000-£54,000 for both 2009/10 and 2010/11. TopOfTheCops is awaiting confirmation of the 2011/12 figure, but is using the same working figure in the meantime. TopOfTheCops has also asked if expenses information for all three years can be made available.

Records of the South West Regional Development Agency are here, here and here. They show Dr Savage receiving £8,666 for each of the three years. They also show which organisations Dr Savage had registered as having an interest with and that had received grant monies from the RDA. These are recorded in the accounts and there is no suggestion of impropriety.

This gives John Savage total income from these posts of £58,666 – £62,666 in 2009-10, £58,666 – £62,666 in 2010-11 and £58,666 – £62,666 in 2011-12.

If you have amendments, additions or corrections to this information please leave them in the comments section below. Please note that they will not be approved until checked, and that resources for checking are limited. To help, please remember to include URLs to sources.