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Allowances paid to Councillors in 2008/2009
SOUTH HAMS DISTRICT COUNCIL
SCHEME OF MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES
The Council, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, hereby makes the following scheme:-
1. This scheme may be cited as the South Hams District Council Scheme of
Members' Allowances, and shall have effect from 1 April 2009.
Basic Allowance
2. Subject to paragraph 9, for the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, a basic
allowance of £4,080 per annum shall be paid to each Councillor. This is intended
to recognise the time commitment of Members to Council and constituency duties
and costs relating to the use of the Members’ home, postage, stationery and minor
office equipment.
3. An additional allowance of £360 may be claimed by each Member in respect of
the costs associated with the use of a home personal computer for Council
business.
Special Responsibility Allowances
4. (a) For each year a Special Responsibility Allowance shall be paid to those
Councillors who hold the special responsibilities in relation to the authority
that are specified below:-
Amount
per annum
(£)
(i) Leader of the Council 12,240.00
(ii) Deputy Leader of the Council ) 6,120.00
Chairman of Development Control Committee ) each
(iii) Other Members of the Executive 4,080.00 each
(iv) Vice-Chairman of the Development Control Committee 2,040.00
(v) Chairman of Scrutiny 4,080.00
(vi) Chairman of the Audit Committee 4,080.00
(vii) Chairmen of the Policy Development Groups 2,040.00 each
(viii) Chairman of the Licensing Committee 2,040.00
(ix Chairman of Salcombe Harbour Board
(to be paid from Board finances) 2,040.00
(x) Minority Groups allowance (£8,160) x number in each group
40
(xi) Chairman of the Standards Committee 500.00
(b) Allowances for Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Council:-
(i) Chairman of Council 4,080.00
(ii) Vice-Chairman of Council 1,020.00
(c) Subject to paragraph 9, the amount of each such allowance shall be the
amount specified against that special responsibility in sub-paragraph (a) above.
Where a Councillor is entitled to more than one Special Responsibility Allowance,
only one such Allowance, equivalent to the higher entitlement, shall be paid.
Travelling Allowances
5. Those duties as set out at Schedule 1 will attract the payment of a travelling allowance
at the following rates:-
(a) The rate of travel by public transport shall not normally exceed the cheapest fare
available, subject to the Member Support Services Manager exercising discretion
in the case of special visits or where business needs to be transacted on the journey.
(b) The rates of travel by a Member's motor cycle shall be 24 pence per mile.
(c) The rates of travel by a Member's motor vehicle (other than a motor cycle) shall be
40 pence per mile.
(d) A supplement of 2 pence per mile for each passenger carried will also be paid.
(e) The actual amount incurred on any tolls, ferries or parking fees, including
overnight garaging shall be reimbursed.
(f) The rates of travel by a Member’s bicycle shall be 20 pence per mile.
(g) The rate of travel by taxi-cab shall not exceed:-
(i) in cases of urgency or where no public transport is reasonably available
the amount of the actual fare and any reasonable gratuity paid; and
(ii) in any other case, the amount of the fare for travel by appropriate public transport.
(h) The rate of travel by a hired motor vehicle other than a taxi-cab shall not exceed
the rate which would have been applicable had the vehicle belonged to the Member
provided that the rate may be increased at the Member Support Service Manager’s
discretion (as in (a) above) to an amount not exceeding the actual cost of hiring.
(i) Where travel by air is the only effective means of travel or produces sufficient savings
in time and / or other allowances, the rate shall not exceed the cheapest fare available.
Subsistence Allowances
6. (a) Subsistence allowances may be claimed to meet the costs of meals,
refreshments, accommodation etc, in connection with the performance of
an approved duty as specified at Schedule 1. The rates shall not exceed:-
(i) in the case of an absence, not involving an absence overnight, from the
usual place of residence:-
A. of more than 4 hours, £5.39 for breakfast;
B. of more than 4 hours, £7.45 for lunch;
C. of more than 4 hours, including the period 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm, £2.94 for tea;
D. of more than 4 hours, ending after 7.00 pm, £9.23 for an evening meal;
provided that, for meetings such as Council, Committee or other Council body
meetings, meals or refreshments may be provided by the Council, including on
occasions where the absence from the residence may not exceed 4 hours.
Where such meals are provided or paid for separately by the Council, the appropriate
subsistence allowance shall not be paid to a Member, unless the Member has
specifically indicated that he or she is unable or does not wish to take the meal
provided by the Council, or otherwise where other unforeseen commitments
prohibit the taking of the meal.
(ii) in the case of an absence overnight from the usual place of residence, £79.82,
or, for such an absence overnight in London or an annual conference of the
Local Government Association or such other association of bodies as the
Secretary of State may designate, £91.04.
(b) The actual reasonable costs of meals taken on trains may be reimbursed.
(This would replace the subsistence allowance for the appropriate meal period).
Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance
7. A Councillor may claim a carers’ allowance in accordance with the provisions
specified at Appendix A.
Renunciation
8. A Councillor may by notice in writing given to the Member Support Services Manager
elect to forego any part of his entitlement to an allowance under this scheme.
Part-Year Entitlements
9. (a) The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect to regulate the entitlements
of a Councillor to basic and special responsibility allowances where, in the course
of a year, this scheme is amended or that Councillor becomes, or ceases to be,
a Councillor, or accepts or relinquishes a special responsibility in respect of which
a special responsibility allowance is payable.
(b) If an amendment to this scheme changes the amount to which a Councillor
is entitled by way of a basic allowance or a special responsibility allowance,
then in relation to each of the periods:-
(i) beginning with the year and ending with the day before that on which the
first amendment in that year takes effect, or
(ii) beginning with the day on which an amendment takes effect and ending
with the day before that on which the next amendment takes effect, or
(if none) with the year, the entitlement to such an allowance shall be to
the payment of such part of the amount of the allowance under this scheme
as it has effect during the relevant period as bears to the whole the same
proportion as the number of the days in the period bears to the number of
days in the year (ie a pro-rata calculation will be made).
(c) Where the term of office of a Councillor begins or ends otherwise than at the
beginning or end of a year, the entitlement of that Councillor to a basic
allowance shall be to the payment to such part of the basic allowance as bears
to the whole the same proportion as the number of days during which his term
of office subsists bears to the number of days in that year.
(d) Where this scheme is amended as mentioned in sub-paragraph (b), and the term
of office of a period Councillor does not subsist throughout the period mentioned in
sub-paragraph (b)(i), the entitlement of any such Councillor to a basic allowance
shall be to the payment of such part of the basic allowance referable to each such
period (ascertained in accordance with that sub-paragraph) as bears to the whole
the same proportion as the number of days during which his term of office as a
Councillor subsists bears to the number of days in that period.
(e) Where a Councillor has during part of, but not throughout, a year such special
responsibilities as entitle him or her to a special responsibility allowance, that
Councillor's entitlement shall be to payment of such part of that allowance as bears
to the whole the same proportion as the number of days during which he has such
special responsibilities bears to the number of days in that year.
(f) Where a Councillor has been appointed on a temporary basis to a position which
attracts a special responsibility allowance, that Councillor's entitlement shall,
following a 3 month period in that position, be to payment of such part of that
allowance as bears to the whole the same proportion as the number of days
during which he has such special responsibilities bears to the number of days in
that year. Payment to the Councillor previously entitled to the special responsibility
allowance shall, at the same point, cease.
(g) Where this scheme is amended as mentioned in sub-paragraph (b), and a Councillor
has during part, but does not have throughout the whole, or any period mentioned in
sub-paragraph (b)(i) of that paragraph any such special responsibilities as entitle
him or her to a special responsibility allowance, that Councillor's entitlement shall be
to payment of such part of the allowance referable to each such period (ascertained in
accordance with that sub-paragraph) as bears to the whole the same proportion as
the number of days in that period during which he or she has such special
responsibilities bears to the number of days in that period.
Claims and Payments
10. (a) A claim for travelling and subsistence allowance under this scheme shall be made
in writing within two months of the date of the meeting in respect of which the
entitlement to the allowance arises. Claims which do not comply with this timescale
will only be accepted by the Member Support Services Manager in exceptional
circumstances. Members are encouraged to submit a claim every month with
any such claims being accompanied by receipts.
(b) Payments shall be made on a monthly basis along with payments for the basic
and any special responsibility allowances. Such payments will be made direct
to the bank or building society account of the Member’s choice.
(c) Where a payment under this scheme in respect of a basic allowance or a special
responsibility allowance would result in the Councillor receiving more than the
amount to which, by virtue of paragraph 8, he or she is entitled, the payment shall
be restricted to such amount as will ensure that no more is paid than the amount
to which he or she is entitled.
Suspension
11. If a Member is suspended or partially suspended from his responsibilities or duties
as member of an authority in accordance with Part III of the Local Government Act 2000
or regulations made under that Part, the proportion of the basic allowance, any special
responsibility allowance and travelling and subsistence allowance payable to him/her
in respect of the period for which he is suspended or partially suspended may be
withheld by the authority.
SCHEDULE 1
APPROVED DUTIES
There is specified as an approved duty for the purpose of the payment of travelling and subsistence
allowances, attendance at:-
(a) meetings of the Council, its Committees, the Executive, Scrutiny or Policy Development Groups
subject, in each case of attendance at any bodies of which a Councillor is not a Member, to the
prior invitation of the relevant Chairman;
(b) meetings of other bodies to which the authority makes appointments, or of any committee or
sub-committee of such a body;
(c) any other meeting the holding of which is authorised by the authority, or a committee, group of
the authority, or a joint committee of the authority and one or more other authorities, or a sub-
committee of such a joint committee, provided that:-
(i) where the authority is divided into two or more political groups, it is a meeting to which
members of at least two such groups have been invited, or
(ii) if the authority is not so divided, it is a meeting to which the authority is a member;
(d) the following types of meetings, provided that where the authority is divided into two or
more political groups, Members of at least two such groups have been invited:-
(i) briefing and other meetings relating to activities of the Council or matters affecting
the District;
(ii) meetings relating to future change in local government;
(e) the opening of tenders in accordance with Standing Orders by the relevant nominated
Members;
(f) a meeting of any association of authorities of which the authority is a member.
(g) a meeting of any town or parish council within their electoral ward, and of which
they are not already a member.
In addition, Members may claim travelling and subsistence allowances for meetings or
events not otherwise provided for in this scheme when asked in writing to attend by a
member of the Corporate Management Team, when such attendance is in the interests
of the Council or in pursuance of its policies.
Duties excluded by these provisions are those in respect of which the Member receives
remuneration otherwise than under this scheme.
For further information, please contact:-
Mrs M Chapman
PA to the Chairman & Members’ Secretary
Tel: (01803) 861113
e-mail: muriel.chapman@southhams.gov.uk
Darryl White
Member Support Services Manager
Tel: (01803) 861247
e-mail: darryl.white@southhams.gov.uk
APPENDIX A
South Hams District Council
Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance
An allowance of up to £5.80 per hour (or part) (equivalent to the minimum wage in local
government) may be claimed when a carer for a dependent has been engaged to enable
a councillor to carry out an approved duty (as specified in Schedule 1).
A carer will be any responsible person who does not normally live with the councillor as
part of that councillor’s family.
An allowance will be payable if the dependant being cared for:-
• is a child under the age of 14
• is an elderly person; or
• has a recognised physical or mental disability
who normally lives with the councillor as part of that councillor’s family and should not be
left unsupervised.
For meetings or duties within the Council’s boundaries, the allowance will be paid for the
duration of the meeting or otherwise approved duty plus an allowance for up to one hour’s
total travelling time before and after the meeting.
The actual cost of care will be reimbursed, up to a maximum of £5.80 per hour.
The level of allowance will be reviewed on an annual basis effective from 1st April and shall
be in line with the national minimum wage.
Printed and Published by:-
South Hams District Council
Follaton House
Plymouth Road
TOTNES
Devon, TQ9 5NE
