CornwalL county council yesterday responded to Packet inquiries and issued the following statement: "A detailed investigation by Internal Audit into travel and subsistence claims by two county councillors has found no evidence to support an allegation of fraudulent intent.

"The report concludes that there was no underlying culture of over claiming or intent to defraud the council and that the problems were caused by inadequacies in the county council's claim checking process. It notes that the councillors concerned had strongly refuted any implication of deliberate over-claiming and had found the whole process deeply distressing.

"The report identifies that some of the claims submitted by the councillors had not been completed as accurately as they should have been and suggests a more thorough checking process would have ensured that any inaccuracies were identified at the time they were submitted for payment.

"Following the investigation the process has been tightened up with a more robust system introduced to ensure detailed checking of any unusual claims and home to County Hall mileages for all new members being checked as a matter of course. Councillors are also being reminded to make their routes and destinations clear and to make a particular note if they have difficulties finding a location.

"The investigation was carried out following an allegation of fraudulent claiming in relation to home to County Hall journeys. It involved the review of all travel and subsistence claims submitted by the two Councillors over the past six years."