Lazy civil servants in Wales have cost taxpayers more than £88,000 by not returning rented vehicles with a full tank of petrol, it has been revealed this week.

These latest revelations follow news in June of civil servants, working for the Welsh government, running up a £5 million in car hire bills.

Figures revealed under Freedom of Information laws have show that in 2004 staff working for the Welsh Assembly Government had incurred a £10,732 bill for failing to fill rental cars with petrol before returning them.  The following year the fines doubled to to £20,638, £16204 in 2007 and £20,932 last year.

AM Kirsty Williams, the first to expose the WAG’s car hire contract, called the fines as ‘shocking’, especially as families in Wales are having to tighten their belts due to the recession.

“People in Wales are have to balance their budgets and watch every penny, it is vital that Governments do the same,” the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader added.

The Tax Payers Alliance have also criticized the spending, calling it as ‘an outrageous cost for civil servant laziness’.

‘Too much is already spent on car hire and it seems that civil servants don’t care that taxpayers are picking up the tab for fines imposed for not refuelling.’

A spokesman for the WAG said this week reminded staff that the cars should be returned fully refueled, and that arrangements have been reviewed to keep car hire costs as low as possible.

Thanks to Wales Online for the above quotes.  For more information on this article please visit their website.