Allowance scheme and amounts payable

Part 5 - Members' allowances scheme

The London Borough of Redbridge in exercise of the powers conferred by the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, and having had regard to the recommendations of the Independent Panel convened by the London Councils (“The Remuneration of Councillors in London 2010) hereby makes the following scheme:

1. Outline of Scheme

a) This Scheme may be cited as the “Members’ Allowances Scheme for the London Borough of Redbridge (2011) and comes into effect on 18th November 2011, except that the Allowances included in the Schedule to this scheme are effective from the respective dates of appointment to the Special Responsibility roles.

b) In this Scheme, “Member” means an elected Member of the London Borough of Redbridge.

c) The Scheme makes provision for the payment of a basic allowance for all Members and Special Responsibility Allowances for Members appointed to certain positions of responsibility, together with the reimbursement of the reasonable out of Borough travelling and subsistence expenses and, where appropriate, carers’ expenses incurred by Members. 

d) A Member or any other person entitled to any allowance under this Scheme may by notice in writing to the Operational Director - Assurance elect to forego any part of his or her entitlement to an allowance under this Scheme. A Member or such other person may also revoke such notice, in writing, to the Operational Director - Assurance.

2. Basic Allowance

Subject to paragraph 5 and 6(d) below, a basic allowance set out in the schedule to this Scheme shall be paid to each Member.

3. Special Responsibility Allowances

a) For each year a Special Responsibility Allowance shall be paid to those Members who have the special responsibilities, deemed to require a significant time comment and level of responsibility from those generally expected of a member, as specified in the schedule to this Scheme;

b) Subject to paragraph 5, the amount of each such allowance shall be the amount specified against that special responsibility in the schedule;

c) When a Member would otherwise be entitled under the Scheme to more than one Special Responsibility Allowance, then the entitlement shall instead be only to one of them, being the one attracting the higher rate; 

d) In the event that the Leader of the Opposition does not hold the post of Chair of the Overview Committee then the applicable proportions set out at the end of the attached schedule shall apply pro-rata.

4. Co-optees' Allowances

(a) For each year a co-optees' allowance shall be paid to those co-opted members who have the special responsibilities that are specified in the schedule to this Scheme;

(b) Subject to paragraph 5, the amount of each such allowance shall be the amount specified against that special responsibility in the schedule. 

5. Scheme and Entitlement change

(a) Where, in the course of a year, this Scheme is amended and the resolution effecting that amendment so provides, the effect of the resolution may be backdated to the beginning of the municipal year.

(b) Where, in the course of a year, this Scheme is amended and paragraph (a) above does not apply, or where a Member’s or other person's entitlement changes, the relevant basic allowance, Special Responsibility Allowance, or co-optees' allowance will be calculated and paid pro-rata during the particular month in which the Scheme amendment or entitlement change occurs.  

6. Travelling and Subsistence Expenses

(a) Members and co-opted members may submit claims for the reimbursement of their reasonable expenses for travelling to and from “approved duties” at the rates set out in paragraph (c) and (d) below. Subject to paragraph (b) below, Members, but not co-opted members, may only submit claims in respect of those duties which are undertaken outside the Borough. Members, but not co-opted members, may submit claims for the re-imbursement of their reasonable subsistence expenses incurred in connection with approved duties at the rates set out in paragraph (e) below.

“Approved duties” are defined as follows:

i) attendance at meetings of any body to which the Council makes appointments or nominations, or of any committee or sub-committee of such a body; subject to any limitations in the approved Scheme;

ii) attendance at any other meetings, the holding of which is authorised by the Council and to which Members from at least two political groups have been invited;

iii) attendance at any meeting of any association of local authorities of which the Council is a member;

iv) the performance of any duties undertaken in connection with the discharge of any function of the Council conferred by or under any enactment and empowering or requiring the Council to inspect or authorise the inspection of premises, but only where those premises are outside the Borough;

(v) attendance at any conference or training seminar where the relevant Director or the Operational Director - Assurance, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member/Scrutiny Chair, authorises such attendance;

(vi) participation in any official or courtesy visits on behalf of the Council (whether inside or outside the United Kingdom) where the relevant Director or the Operational Director - Assurance, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member/Scrutiny Chair, authorises such participation;

(vii) the carrying out of any other duty or class of duty approved by the Council for the purpose of or in connection with the discharge of the Council's functions or those of its committees.

(b) In cases where a Member or co-opted member is away on business (from their usual place of work) and has to make a journey from that location in order to attend a meeting of the Council, Cabinet or any Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority and then has to return to that business location following the meeting, the Operational Director - Assurance is authorised to approve payment of travel expenses only.

(c) Travel Expenses - Rates

Actual expenses incurred by Members or co-opted members in connection with approved duties for which a claim may be made under paragraph (a) and for travelling expenses payable under paragraph (b) will be fully reimbursed up to amounts of allowances as directed from time to time by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as follows:

For travel by public transport

The actual fare paid not exceeding the ordinary fare (or any available cheap fare) and where there is more than one class of fare available, second-class fare.

For travel by private transport

For use of a private car for attendance at approved duties mileage will be paid to Members at the flat rate of 40p per mile.

The rate may be increased in respect of the carriage of one or more passengers to whom a travelling allowance would otherwise be payable, of not more than 3p a mile for the first passenger and 2p a mile for the second and subsequent passengers.

The full amount of any expenditure incurred on tolls, ferries or parking fees, including overnight garaging.

The following rate will be paid for use of motorcycle for attendance at approved duties: 

Any motorcycle – 11.76p per mile; and a rate of 26p per day for the use of a pedal cycle for attendance at approved duties.

The rate for travel by taxi-cab or 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

Members with Special Travel Needs

The Scheme also includes a provision for the reimbursement of the reasonable travelling costs for those Members or co-opted members with special travel needs, whether those needs are permanent or temporary, to the extent that they are unable to walk, drive, cycle or use public transport to attend Council duties. A reduction of 2% shall be made in respect of the basic allowance for Members with permanent special travel needs (in lieu of the travelling element contained in the basic allowance). The duties for which reimbursement will apply are set out below:-

i) the carrying out of any of the approved duties specified in paragraph 6(a) above;

ii) the performance of any duties undertaken in pursuance of any Standing Order requiring a Member or Members to be present when tender documents are opened;

iii) attendance at any meetings with officers (at the officer’s request), to discuss a matter relating to the terms of reference or functions of any committee on which the Member sits;

iv) attendance at any meetings with officers on the content of a committee agenda (allowances can be claimed by a Chair, Vice-Chair or Spokesperson of the relevant committee only);

v) attendance at any ward surgery; and    

vi)   attendance at any formal opening ceremonies, either organised by the Council, or of Council premises/facilities, to which a Member or Members have been invited.

Out of Borough Subsistence Allowances

The rate of subsistence allowance shall not exceed:

In the case of an absence outside the Borough where a Member incurs additional expenditure for meals and/or absence overnight in order to undertake an approved duty as set out in 6a (i) – (vii) above, the Member shall be reimbursed the actual amount of expenditure incurred, subject to the submission of receipts to substantiate any such claims. Prior approval should be sought by the Member from the relevant Director or the Operational Director - Assurance on the maximum costs to be incurred in each case.

7. Carers’ Allowances

The Scheme shall include a provision for the payment of expenses for childcare and dependent care and the duties for which reimbursement will apply are the same as those set out in paragraph 6(d)(i) to (vi) above.

(i) A maximum rate will be £5.50 per hour;

(ii) Payments should be subject to a maximum weekly payment of £40, or seven and a half hours of care per week, whichever is the lower figure;

(iii) Payment should be claimable in respect of children aged 15 or under in respect of other dependants where there is medical or social work evidence that care is required;

(iv) One weekly payment should be claimable in respect of the household of each Member;

(v) The allowance should be paid as a reimbursement of incurred expenditure against receipts;

(vi) The allowance should not be payable to a member of the claimant’s own household.

8. Claims and Payments

a) Basic Special Responsibility, and co-optees’ allowances are paid via the Council’s payroll system, in instalments of one twelfth of the amounts specified in the Scheme, on approximately the 15th day of the month following the month to which payment relates. 

b) Claims for travelling, subsistence and carers’ allowances should be made on the appropriate claim form, supplemented by receipts where possible, and submitted to the Operational Director - Assurance no later than the end of the month. Payments will be made via the Council’s payroll system, on approximately the 15th day of the month following the month to which the expenses relate.

c) At the beginning of each municipal year, the Operational Director - Assurance will advise all Members and co-opted members of the precise dates for the payment of Members’ Allowances in each month.

9. Annual Uprating of Allowances

The Operational Director - Assurance shall, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council and the Corporate Director of Resources, apply increases to all those allowances set out in the schedule to this Scheme and the carers’ allowances set out in paragraph 7 of this Scheme in 2015/16 and 2016/17 capped at the level of the annual local government pay settlement when known, subject to any advice to the contrary being received from the Independent Remuneration Panel.

10. Record Keeping and Publication

a) The Council is required to keep a record of the payments made by it in accordance with this Scheme and of any payments made by it by virtue of section 174 to 176 of the Local Government Act 1972 (travel and subsistence), specifying the name of the recipient and the nature and amount of the payment;

b) The record is required to be available for inspection at all reasonable times free of charge by any local government elector for the Borough who may make a copy of any part of it;

c) The Council is also required to arrange publication (in a local newspaper) of the total sums paid in each year to each Member in respect of basic and Special Responsibility Allowances.

11. Withdrawal of Allowances

The Standards Committee may withdraw allowances in whole or in part in the event of a Member or co-opted member being suspended or partially suspended.

12. Sickness and Maternity and Paternity Leave

Special Responsibility Allowances payable under paragraph 3 of this Scheme will remain payable in cases of sickness or maternity and paternity leave on the same terms and to the same extent (so far as possible) as if the Member were a Council employee entitled to sickness, maternity or paternity benefits.

Maternity Leave - 52 weeks’ leave, made up of 39 weeks’ ordinary maternity leave (full SRA allowance) and up to13 weeks’ additional maternity leave (SRA unpaid). Shared Parental Leave will be available for parents to choose how to share the care of their child during the first year of birth or adoption.

Paternity Leave – 2 weeks paid leave around the time of the birth/adoption

No Councillor will be removed from their special responsibility role whilst on ordinary maternity leave unless the role ceases to exist.

Members Allowances Scheme Schedule 2020/21

Proposed Category of Allowance	Amount per Member
Basic allowance (63 Members)	£10,138
Special Responsibility Allowances – Leaders/ Deputy Leaders
Leader of the Council	£32,000
Deputy Leader of the Council & Cabinet Member	£19,750
Leader of the Opposition & Chair of Overview Committee*	£14,250
Special Responsibility Allowances – Cabinet Members
Cabinet Members (8 Members)	£16,000
Special Responsibility Allowances – Chairs
Health Scrutiny Committee Strategy & Resources Scrutiny Committee People Scrutiny Committee Place Scrutiny Committee Planning Committee Licensing Committee Governance & Assurance Committee General Purposes Committee	£5,650
Special Responsibility Allowances – Special Project Lead
Special Project Lead (maximum of 2)	£2,850
Independent Members
Governance & Assurance Independent Adviser	£1000
Standards (Hearings) Sub-Committee Independent Chair	£685

*Positions of Leader of the Opposition and Chair of Overview proposed to be held by the same Member.

As stated in 3(d) of the Scheme, in the event that the role of Leader of the Opposition is no longer held by the Chair of Overview, then the proportionate allowances set out below will apply.

APPLICABLE PROPORTIONS OF THE SRA (Only to be used as temporary pro-rata payments pending election to the joint roles shown in the schedule above)	Amount £
Leader of the Opposition	£9,761
Chair of Overview Committee	£6,679