Part 6 - Elected members allowances scheme

8.1 The Council has accepted the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in regard to the payment of a Dependant Carers’ Allowance in specific circumstances.

8.2 The allowance is only payable, under the Regulations in respect of such expenses of arranging for the care of their children or dependents as are necessarily incurred in;

a) Attending a meeting of the Authority; or a Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority;

b) A meeting of any body to which the Authority makes appointments or nominations, or a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee of such a body;

c) Attending a meeting which has been both authorised by the Authority, a Committee or Sub-committee of the Authority or a Joint Committee of the Authority, or Sub-Committee and to which representatives of more than one political group have been invited (or where the Authority is not divided into political groups two or more Elected Members have been invited);

d) Attending a meeting of a Local Authority Association of which the Authority is a member;

e) The performance of any duties undertaken on behalf of the Authority in connection with the discharge of any function of the Authority conferred by or under any enactment and empowering or requiring the authority to inspect or authorise the inspection of premises;

f) The performance of any duties undertaken on behalf of the Authority in connection with arrangements made by the Authority for the attendance of pupils at a school approved for the purposes of Section 342 of the Education Act 1996 (approval of non-maintained special schools);

g) The carrying out of any other duty approved by the Authority, for the purposes of, or in connection with the discharge of the functions of the Authority or any of its Committees or Sub-Committees.

8.3 This is a discretionary allowance which the Council has determined it is right and just to pay in appropriate circumstances.  The following rates and rules apply to claims for this allowance. 

8.4 The allowance applies to Elected Members who incur expenditure for the care of children or dependant relations whilst undertaking the above duties. Claims are subject to:

• The maximum hourly rate claimable, be the national minimum wage and that this be increased annually as the national minimum wage increases;
• Payment is claimable in respect of children aged 15 or under or in respect of other related dependants where there are medical or social care needs;
• The scheme be limited to 2 claims per week with each claim being no longer than 7 hours each, except in special circumstances to be judged by the Council’s Chief Executive in consultation with the Director of Finance, IT and Digital;
• The allowance is paid as a reimbursement of incurred expenditure against receipts;
• The allowance will not be payable for care provided by a member of the claimant’s own household or immediate family;
• No payment will be made in respect of any dependant person for whom an attendance allowance is already payable.

Tax and National Insurance

8.5 This allowance, on the advice of the Inland Revenue is subject to tax and national insurance.