Disqualified Tory councillor Julian Storey says he was "legally and morally" entitled to the £6,000 in expenses he claimed during a six-month council no-show.

The former Selsdon and Ballards councillor was booted out of the council in January for failing to attend enough meetings to fulfil his minimum statutory requirements.

However, he continued to receive around £940 a month in expenses during his period of absence, prompting calls for him to pay back the money.

Although legally Mr Storey does not have to give the money back as all councillors are entitled to receive expenses until they are disqualified, stand down or lose an election many Croydon Guardian readers and residents of the town believed he had a moral responsibility to do so.

Speaking exclusively to the Croydon Guardian Mr Storey said there is "no reason" why he should pay back the money, adding: "I did not receive one single penny by way of my allowance to which I was not legally and morally entitled and I am happy for my average attendance record to be compared with that of any other council member.

"Turning up at full council meetings is, in my view, the least significant, least relevant thing that most councillors do. It was not unusual for me to be at the town hall until very late at night replying to letters and emails."

Mr Storey said his job as a pilot in the Channel Islands prevented him from returning to Croydon to attend meetings and also claimed much of his ward work was unseen.

He added: "It was simply not possible for me to attend any of the four or five full council meetings held in the last six months that I was a councillor.

"As any councillor will tell you, most of the work that they do is unseen."

Mr Storey said although he did not attend council meetings, he continued his ward work up until his disqualification.

He added he was "somewhat saddened" to learn he had also been expelled from the Conservative Party in February.

Mr Storey said while he is still based in Croydon, he spends more time away working as a pilot. And he has recently taken up a voluntary position as the British Parachute Association's media co-ordinator.