MAYOR Karen Williams was at the helm when councillors voted in 2016 to give themselves the option of driving ratepayer-funded vehicles, with Redland City Council declaring to residents at the time that any cars purchased would be in line with "community expectations".
Speculation about how much is being spent on council vehicles has been rife since it was revealed that Cr Williams was driving a Lexus station wagon when she crashed into a tree on budget day, just hours after handing down a 4.72 per cent rate rise to residents.
The Redland City Bulletin understands councillors unanimously voted to replace the mileage claim system and adopt a vehicle scheme in 2016.
Cr Williams said at the time that the move would be cost-effective and give councillors greater flexibility but claimed it would not lead to increased costs for ratepayers.
The Bulletin exclusively revealed on Wednesday that the Lexus station wagon Cr Williams crashed into a tree at Cleveland was bought independently of the state government's fleet program.
Cr Williams was into her second term as Mayor when councillors endorsed the new fleet car scheme, but not all councillors have opted to take a company vehicle, with three still claiming mileage on work travel.
Wendy Boglary, Adelia Berridge and Tracey Huges told the Bulletin that they were all driving personal vehicles, while the remaining councillors refused to answer questions about their cars.
A Redland City Council spokesman told the Bulletin in 2016 that the types of cars purchased under the scheme would be "consistent with the community's expectations''.
"The role of a councillor requires regular and substantial travel throughout the city and sometimes beyond its borders for council-related purposes,'' a spokesman said in 2016.
"The business-related costs of operating a motor vehicle to enable councillors to carry out their duties can be substantial, and these have been included in a similar policy for many terms.''
The Bulletin story from 2016 was published in late May, about a month after the election, where Cr Williams retained the top job with almost 56 per cent of the vote.
Cr Williams said in the story that costs for providing councillors a vehicle were similar to the costs incurred from councillors claiming reimbursement for work mileage.
Council's annual report from the 2020-21 financial year shows this is far from the case, with councillors Boglary, Berridge and Huges - all of whom use private vehicles - racking up considerably fewer transport costs than others.
The value of $98,413 outlined in the report includes fuel and insurance.
Council chief executive Andrew Chesterman released a statement in late June saying the Mayor would pay for repairs to the damaged Lexus.
The council confirmed last week that the car was currently undergoing assessment.
Cr Williams has been contacted for comment on several occasions but has declined to respond.
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