Parents and Carers
Carer's Allowance
A carer’s allowance shall be paid where a Councillor has necessarily incurred expenditure for the care of children (up to the age of 15 years) or a dependent relative whilst undertaking the duties of the Council.
- Care of Dependent Relatives and Disabled Children £21.40 per hour
- Childcare £16.50 per hour
Parental Leave
Basic Allowance
All Councillors shall continue to receive their Basic Allowance in full, for a period up to six months, in the case of absence from their Councillor duties due to absence related to maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
Where, for reasons connected with maternity, adoption, or shared parental leave a Councillor is unable to attend meetings of the Council for a period of more than six consecutive months (from the date of their last attendance), a dispensation by the General Assembly of the Council must be sought in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, within six months of the last attendance. This dispensation should be granted, so that the absence is no more than one year in total.
Special Responsibility Allowance
Reasonable and adequate arrangements shall be put in place to provide cover during any period of absence (by reason of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave) of a Councillor in receipt of a special responsibility allowance. Where a replacement (generally a deputy, lead member or vice chair) covers the period of absence, that person shall be remunerated in accordance with the deputy or vice chairman’s Special Responsibility Allowance referred to in the Scheme, where applicable.
The original responsibility holder shall continue to receive the full Special Responsibility Allowance, but should the period of absence exceed six months, the General Assembly of the Council shall consider whether such arrangements should continue.
If a Councillor stands down, or an election is held during the period when a Councillor is absent due to maternity, adoption or shared parental leave and the Councillor is not re-elected, their Basic Allowance and any Special Responsibility Allowance shall cease from the date on which they retire (i.e. on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election).