Members' Allowances Scheme

Terms and conditions

Other duties

A Councillor who is also a member of another authority (for example, Kent County Council), shall not be entitled to the receipt of allowances from both authorities in respect of the same duties. 

Not claiming an allowance

Any Councillor or Co-opted Member can choose not to claim any part of their allowance. They can do so by writing to the Chief Officer and Director of Corporate Services.

Part year entitlements

  1. If an amendment to this Scheme during any year changes the amount of basic allowance or special responsibility allowance to which a Councillor is entitled, the entitlement of the Councillor to such allowance is in respect of the following periods:-
    1. beginning with 1 April and ending with the day before the first or only amendment during that year takes effect;
    2. beginning with the day an amendment takes effect and ending with the day before the next amendment during that year takes effect; or
    3. beginning with the day an amendment takes effect and ending with the 31 March; will be to payment of the proportion which the number of days in period (a), (b) or (c) bears to the number of days in that year.
  2. Where the term of the Councillor begins or ends during the course of a year, his/her entitlement to a basic allowance will be to the payment of the proportion which the number of days which he/she held office during that year bears to the number of days in that year.
  3. Where an amendment to the Scheme during any year changes the amount of basic allowance to which a Councillor is entitled and the Councillor does not hold office in that year throughout the period beginning with the 1 April and ending with the day before the amendment takes effect ("the Payment Period"), his/her entitlement to a basic allowance in respect of the Payment Period will be to payment of the proportion which the number of days in which he/she has held office during the Payment Period bears to the number of days in the Payment Period.
  4. Where a Councillor has during only part of a year a special responsibility entitling him/her to a special responsibility allowance, his/her entitlement to a special responsibility allowance shall be to payment of the proportion which the number of days during which he/she has had such special responsibility bears to the number of days in that year.
  5. Where an amendment to the Scheme during any year changes the amount of special responsibility allowance to which a Councillor is entitled, and that Councillor has had a special responsibility entitling him/her to a special responsibility allowance during only part of the year beginning on the 1 April and ending with the day before the amendment takes effect ("the Allowance Period"), his/her entitlement to special responsibility allowance will be to payment of the proportion which the number of days in which he/she has had the special responsibility during the Allowance Period bears to the number of days in the Allowance Period.
  6. Where a Councillor becomes or ceases to be a member of the Council, or accepts or relinquishes any special responsibility for which an allowance is paid, allowances will be paid pro-rata to the number of days during the year which he/she was a Councillor or held the special responsibility.

Payments and Claims

The Council shall make payments in respect of basic, special responsibility and travel allowances, in instalments of 1/12th (of the year's total, per month) of the amounts specified in this Scheme on the 15th day of the month in respect of which the Councillor's entitlement arose (or on the last working day before the 15th of the month if the day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday).

Any claim for payment of carers (dependents and childcare) and travel and subsistence allowances under this Scheme shall be made within two months of the date of the duty to which the allowance relates.  Claims shall not be paid unless supported by a receipt confirming that the expenditure has been incurred.  The Council may make a payment where the allowance is not claimed within the period specified.

Backdating

Any amendments made during the year to the amounts payable under this Scheme may be backdated to the beginning of the year.

Repayment of Allowances

  1. A special responsibility allowance is payable in monthly instalments to those Members who hold the positions of special responsibility listed in para. 2 above.  Members are elected/appointed to and removed from positions of special responsibility as follows:
    1. Leader of the Council – elected and removed from office by the GAC in accordance with Standing Orders 4 & 4A;
    2. Deputy Leader – appointed and removed from office by the Leader of the Council on notice to the Proper Officer for report to the GAC (Standing Order 4B);
    3. Cabinet members/Lead member – appointed and removed from office by the Leader of the Council on notice to the Proper Officer for report to the GAC (Standing Order 4D);
    4. Shadow Leader & Deputy Shadow Leader – appointed and removed from office by the largest party in opposition on the Council on notice to the Proper Officer for report to the GAC (Standing Order 5);
    5. Other Group Leader & Deputy Group Leader – appointed and removed from office by members of the Group on notice to the Proper Office for report to the GAC;
    6. Chairman/Vice – chairman & Shadow Chairman of the committees listed in para.2 above – appointments to and removal from office in accordance with the wishes of the Group Leaders, on notice to the Proper Officer for report to the GAC.
  2. The basic allowance is claimable by all Members in monthly instalments.
  3. Where payment of an allowance has already been made in respect of any period during which the Member concerned:
    1. ceases to be a member of the Council; or
    2. is in any way not entitled to receive the allowance in respect of that period,
    3. the Council may require that such part of the allowance as relates to any such period shall be repaid to the Council.

Publicity

  1. As soon as reasonably practicable after determining a scheme of allowances, the Chief Officer and Director of Corporate Services will ensure that a copy of the Scheme is available for inspection and publicised in accordance with the 2003 Regulations.
  2. As soon as practicable after 1 April each year the Chief Officer and Director of Corporate Services shall make arrangements for the publication of the total paid to each Member in each category of allowance specified in this Scheme, in the preceding year.