Appendix B
Members’
Allowances Scheme
THE MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES SCHEME
The Maidstone Borough Council has adopted the following Members’ Allowances Scheme:-
Citation
1. This scheme may be cited as the Maidstone Borough Council Members’ Allowance Scheme and the scheme shall come into operation on the following dates and be operative for subsequent years
a) Basic Allowance - 1 April 2003
b) Special Responsibility Allowance – 1 April 2003
Interpretation
2. In this scheme, “Councillor” means a Member of the Maidstone Borough Council who is a Councillor;
“Co-opted Member” means a person who is not a Councillor (as above) but has been appointed to join a Committee of this Council;
“year” means the 12 months ending with 31 March.
Basic Allowance
3. Subject to paragraph 6, for each year a basic allowance of £4666 shall be paid to each Councillor (with effect from 1 April 2013).
Special Responsibility Allowance
4. (1) For each year a special responsibility allowance shall be paid to those
Councillors or Co-opted Members who have the special responsibilities in relation to the authority that are specified in schedule 1 to this scheme.
(2) Subject to paragraph 6, the amount of each such allowance shall be the amount specified against that special responsibility in that schedule.
(3) No more than one special responsibility allowance can be paid to any single Councillor or Co-opted Member at one time and that the allowance to be paid be the highest that the Councillor or Co-opted Member is entitled, with the exception it will not preclude any person who receives a special responsibility allowance from being paid such an allowance for attendance at Licensing Panel Hearings.
Renunciation
5. A Councillor or Co-opted Member may by notice in writing given to the Head of Policy and Communications elect to forego any part of his entitlement to an allowance under this scheme.
Part-year Entitlement
6. (1) 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.
(2) If an amendment to this scheme is made which affects payment of a basic allowance or a special responsibility allowance in the year in which the amendment is made, then in relation to each of the periods
(a) beginning with the year and ending with the day before on that which the first amendment in that year takes effect, or
(b) 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 as the period bears to the number of days in the year.
(3) 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 of 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.
(4) Where this scheme is amended as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), and the term of office of a Councillor does not subsist throughout a period mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) 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 in that period bears to the number of days in that period.
(5) Where a Councillor or Co-opted Member 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 or Co-opted Member’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 or she has such special responsibilities bears to the number of days in that year.
(6) Where this scheme is amended as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), and a Councillor or Co-opted Member has during part, but does not have throughout the whole of any period mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) of that paragraph any such special responsibilities as entitle him or her to a special responsibility allowance, that Councillor’s or Co-opted Member’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.
Payments
7. (1) Payments shall be made in respect of basic and special responsibility allowances, subject to sub-paragraph (2) in instalments of one-twelfth of the amount specified in this scheme on the (last working) day of each month;
(2) Where a payment of one-twelfth of the amount specified in this scheme in respect of a basic allowance or a special responsibility allowance would result in the Councillor or Co-opted Member receiving more or less than the amount to which, by virtue of paragraph 7, he or she is entitled, the payment be such amount as will ensure that no more or no less is paid than the amount to which he or she is entitled.
Dependent Carers Allowance
8. Each Councillor shall be entitled to claim a Dependent Carers Allowance at a rate of £6 per hour when they attend meetings which relate to functions of the Council or in relation to a Cabinet portfolio including meetings of certain specified outside bodies (see Schedule 2) and any approved conference, training or site visits.
Travel Allowance
9. Councillors and Co-opted Members are entitled to claim travel costs when they attend meetings which relate to functions of the Council or in relation to a Cabinet portfolio including meetings of certain specified outside bodies (see Schedule 2) and any approved conferences or site visits. Councillors and Co-opted Members must indicate on the claim form the purpose of all meetings attended. Travelling allowances are paid per mile as set out in the table below.
TRAVEL ALLOWANCES |
|
Cars and Vans |
45p per mile |
|
Motorcycles |
24p per mile |
|
Bicycles |
20p per mile |
Councillors or Co-opted Members may claim an additional 5p per mile if other passengers travel in their vehicle. This again must be detailed on the Allowance Application Form.
If a Councillor or Co-opted Member travels to and from meetings by public transport they are entitled to claim this back in full but receipts or tickets must be attached to their Allowance Application Forms.
Councillors and or Co-opted Members may also claim back in full the cost of toll, parking or garage fees by completing the appropriate section on the Allowance Application Form.
Subsistence Allowance
10. Councillors and Co-opted Members are entitled to claim a subsistence allowance when, in attending meetings which relate to functions of the Council or in relation to a Cabinet portfolio, they are kept away from their normal place of residence for significant periods of time at certain times of day. Subsistence will only be paid upon the production of a receipt for the purchase of a required meal. The amount paid should be the lesser of a) the applicable subsistence rate (as set out in the table below), or b) the amount on the receipt.
|
SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE |
|
|
Allowance Type |
Allowance |
Period |
|
Breakfast |
£5.37 |
more than 5 hours away from normal place of residence before 11.00am |
|
Lunch |
£7.70 |
more than 5 hours away from normal place of residence, including the lunchtime between 12.00 noon and 2.00pm |
|
Tea |
£3.04 |
more than 5 hours away from normal place of residences, including the period 3.00pm to 6.00pm |
|
Dinner |
£9.53 |
more than 5 hours away from normal place of residence ending after 7.00pm |
If Councillors or Co-opted Members are attending a meeting or function where a meal is provided for them they are not entitled to claim a subsistence allowance.
If a Councillor or Co-opted Member attends an approved Conference which includes an overnight stay away from his/her usual place of residence the Councillor or Co-opted Member can claim the cost of an evening meal up to a maximum of £20 per head, provided they submit a receipt with the Allowance Application Form.
Members and Co-opted Members are reminded that any Allowance Application Forms should be submitted within two months of the approved duty for which they are claiming.
Broadband Allowance
11. Councillors
are entitled to claim £11.17 per month.
SCHEDULE 1
1. The following are specified as the special responsibilities in respect of which special responsibility allowances are payable, and the amounts of those allowances:-
POST SPECIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
ALLOWANCE
(w.e.f. 1.4.13)
Leader £ 23,326
Cabinet Member (50% of Leader’s Allowance) £ 11,663
Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny £ 4,665
(25% of Leader’s Allowance)
Chairman of Planning Committee (25% of £ 5,831
Leader’s Allowance)
Chairman of Licensing Committee (10% of Leader’s £ 2,332
Allowance)
Chairman of Licensing Act 2003 Committee (10% of £ 2,332
Leader’s Allowance)
Chairman of Standards Committee (5% of Leader’s £ 1,166
Allowance)
Chairman of Audit Committee (5% of Leader’s
Allowance) £1,166
Leader of the Opposition (minimum of 10 Councillors)
(25% of Leader’s Allowance) £5,831
Group Leader (minimum of 5 Councillors) (10% of
Leader’s Allowance) £2,331
Co-opted Members of Standards Committee £ 331
Independent Person £ 700
Chair of Licensing Panel Hearing £77 daily session rate
Licensing Panel Hearing Members £58 daily session rate
SCHEDULE 2
LIST OF OUTSIDE BODIES
1. Action with Communities in Rural Kent
2. Age Concern
3. Allington Millennium Green Trust
4. Brenchley Charity
5. Citizens Advice Bureau
6. Collis Millennium Green Trust
7. Cutbush and Corrall Charity
8. Headcorn Aerodrome Consultative Committee
9. Hermitage Quarry Liaison Group
10. Howard de Walden Centre
11 KCC Health Overview & Scrutiny
12. KCC Youth Advisory Group
13. Kent County Playing Fields Association
14. Kent Downs AONB Joint Advisory Committee
15. Kent Partnership
16. Local Government Association General Assembly
17. Local Government Association Rural Commission
18. Local Government Association Urban Commission
19. Maidstone Area Arts Council
20. Maidstone/Beauvais Twinning Association
21. Maidstone Mediation Scheme
22. Maidstone MIND
23. Maidstone Sea Cadets
24. Maidstone Street Pastors Management Committee
25. Maidstone YMCA
26. Mid Kent Downs Steering Group
27. Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London Adjudication
Joint Committee (“PATROLAJC”)
28. Relate West and Mid Kent
29. Relief in Need Charities
30. Rochester Bridge Trust
31. South East Employers
32. Town Centre Management Advisory Group
33. Town Centre Management Board of Directors
34. Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board
35. Vinters Valley Park Trust
36. Youth and Community Charity (KCC)