A plan to scrap the mayoral car in Epsom and replace it with a travel allowance has been voted down.

The proposal, put forward by Conservative Councillor Sean Sullivan, was set to save Epsom and Ewell Borough Council £10,000 a year.

The current system sees the council rent a Ford Galaxy at a cost of £320 a month.

Councillor Sullivan said: “To me it is a no-brainer to replace the current system as we would save a large amount of money.

“The mayor would be given a fuel allowance and could have a driver arranged in certain circumstances.

“We owe it to residents to try and save money in every way we can.”

Previously, the mayor had a chauffeur and a Rolls Royce which was owned by the council.

But earlier this year, the council agreed to sell the Rolls and cut down to a part-time chauffeur and lease a car with a projected annual saving from August of £23,000.

It was also agreed, as part of cost saving measures for 2010-11, to find a more eco-friendly vehicle.

However, Residents Association councillor Robert Leach said the move was "distraction politics".

"I think I must be living in a parallel universe," he said.

"We are facing huge budget cuts and all the opposition can talk about are trivial matters - I couldn’t care tuppence about it.

"All they can do is point out minor costs that don’t matter in the broader scheme of things - it’s distraction politics."

Liberal Democrat councillor Julie Morris said: “I think it’s a good idea in theory, but the proposal was presented to us without any proper background details so it was difficult to make a decision.

“We need to get away from the rental decision which is costing us money, stop dithering, and sort out a lease system.

“Every month that goes on we are wasting valuable public money.”

The decision was passed by a majority vote.