ESSEX County councillors claimed a total of £439,355 in expenses between October and December last year, new figures show.

It equates to an average of £5,632 each for the 78 county councillors across Essex.

Each county councillor gets a basic allowance of £2,874 with those on the cabinet or special committees getting special responsibility allowances of between £334, or in the case of council leader Peter Martin, £13,374.

On top of this they can claim for petrol, fares, food and accommodation.

The 17 county councillors in the south Essex area, made up of Basildon, Castle Point and Rochford, claimed a total of £135,125 between them.

Top of these was Stephen Castle, who represents Rayleigh North and is county councillor responsible for education, who claimed £13,389, which included a special responsibility allowance of £8,827 plus £790 on food and accommodation and £774 on travel fares.

A council spokesman said: “Councillor Castle has played a vital role in bringing business, tourism and the 2012 Olympics to the county and this has meant attending business trips and meeting where overnight accommodation has been essential.”

Next was Tracey Chapman, who represents Rochford North and is county councillor responsible for environment and waste, who claimed £11,702, with the same special responsibility allowance as Mr Castle, but no other claims.

She was one of a number of south Essex county councillors who claimed nothing on top of their allowances.

Seven of them, who do not get any special responsibility allowance either, just claimed their £2,874 basic allowance.

These were John Schofield (Westley Heights), Tony Hedley (Billericay and Burstead), John Dornan (Laindon Park and Fryerns), David Abrahall and Sandra Hiller (both Pitsea), Mavis Webster (Rayleigh South) and Elizabeth Hart (Rochford West).

Mr Dornan said: “I never got involved in politics for the money and was pleasantly surprised there was an allowance to cover phone bills etc. I am fortunate enough not to have to claim to fulfil my duties as a county councillor. I get a basic allowance which just about covers my fuel, postage and phone calls, and unless those costs go excessively above the allowance I hope I will be able to continue to do this.”

Lord Hanningfield, former county council leader, who is accused of fiddling his Parliamentary expenses between March 2006 and May 2009, claimed £1,207 in mileage, and £212 in accommodation and subsistence between last October and December.