Cabbies who have been refunded more than £200,000 following a council blunder believe there are many more outstanding claims.

Colchester Council has repaid £230,000 after it failed to correctly advertise year-on-year increases in licence fees over a period of six years, dating back to April 1 2006.

To date it has settled 683 claims since it first admitted the mistake in July 2012.

Christie Wettasinghe, who runs Colchester cab firm Hawaii Five-O, believes he has so far received one refund but estimates he could be owed up to 30 more.

He said: “They could make it far simpler, especially for companies like mine who have I don’t know how many claims, it could be easier.

“I think for all the claims I am trying to claim for I should be able to put on one sheet.

“Yes we do keep records but we can’t itemise to the very bottom line.

“The bottom line is they have the records, claims and sheets and they should be saying I am owed so much instead of me filling in 10,000 pieces of paper.”

He believes the council has a duty to disclose who is owed money as drivers may not know, particularly if they have moved away from the area.