Tony Brice: Benefit fraud

Conservative Tony Brice

Cllr Tony Brice pleaded guilty to three counts of benefit fraud totalling nearly £3,000 has been given a curfew and ordered to carry out unpaid community work.

But Tony Brice, 67, who represents the Lindley ward on Kirklees Council says he is determined to appeal and to retain his position on the council despite his Conservative group disowning him last year when the 21-strong group voted to expel him.

Magistrates in Halifax heard that Brice had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in Dewsbury to obtaining £2,977.32 in benefits to which he was not entitled.

For the prosecution, Samantha Lawton, said the offences related to non-disclosure of information beginning in May 2010 regarding pension income, an HSBC Isa account and a savings account.

This was compounded in July that year by his failing to notify the authorities that there had been a change in his financial circumstances – namely he had been receiving a second pension of £67 a month for five months.

Then in October he failed to declare an increase in income from a pension which had risen from £392 to £442.

Ms Lawton said he had a number of opportunities to notify the council of the changes during 2010 but failed to do so.

Source