WEYBRIDGE
Home | Council News | Councillors' Expenses
Elmbridge Borough Council Expenses Rules
Travelling and Subsistence Expenses
Councillors are entitled to receive payments for travelling and subsistence for the purpose of performing approved duties.
Payment will be at the rate payable to council officers as agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services.
Travel and subsistence costs include train, boat, air and bus tickets, taxi fares, petrol costs, parking, meals, refreshments, hotels and hotel meals.
Councillors are not entitled to subsistence expenses unless more than three miles from their usual place of residence.
The mileage to be claimed is a return trip to the venue of the approved duty from the Councillor’s home unless, in a particular case, the actual mileage is lower.
Travelling and subsistence expenses are payable in respect of approved duties for the meetings listed in the schedule only when the Councillor is either:-
- a Member appointed to the Cabinet, Committee, Sub-Committee, group or other body;
- a Member who is an officially nominated substitute to the Committee, Sub-Committee, group or other body.
Councillors' Allowances and Expenses in Elmbridge & Surrey
MPs’ expenses have been in the headlines. But what happens locally?
Councillors receive a taxable allowance rather than a salary. They can also reclaim travel expenses for official duties. Allowances vary considerably between authorities and with different roles. The basic allowance paid to Elmbridge Borough Councillors is £4,245 per annum. A minority also receive additional responsibility allowances. Elmbridge Councillors have voted for the past two years to freeze allowances (in response to a Lib Dem proposal in December 2008).
All the information is public. Here are some examples:
Elmbridge Borough Council (2008-9)
Most Councillors receive the Basic EBC Allowance of £4,245 (before tax)
, Oatlands Park, Elmbridge Borough Council: (Basic EBC Allowance £4,245; Leader’s Allowance £12,841.75; Travel £620.10; Pension Contribution: £1441.72)
, Weybridge North,
Elmbridge BC:
(Basic EBC Allowance £4,245; Special Responsibility Allowance
as Chair of Community Overview & Scrutiny Committee £5,502.69; Travel £283.78)
, Weybridge North,
Elmbridge BC:
(Basic EBC Allowance £4,245 [elected June 2008]; Travel claimed £0)
Your local councillors typically spend 15 to 30 hours per week on council related matters. The basic allowance comes to £353.75 per month (£82 per week) after standard rate income tax. Some councillors choose not to reclaim their travel expenses.
Download the full list of Elmbridge Borough Councillor Allowance and
Expense payments 2008-2009
[Also
EBC Councillor Allowance and Expense payments 2007-2008]
Surrey County Council (2007-8)
, Weybridge, Surrey CC: (Basic SCC Allowance £11,488; Special Responsibility Allowance £16,500; Travel £2,008)
, Walton South & Oatlands, Surrey CC: (Basic SCC Allowance £11,488; Travel £205)
Download the full list of Surrey County Councillor Allowance and
Expense payments 2007-8
Elmbridge BC Annual Allowances 2008-2011
The basic Elmbridge Councillor annual allowance for 2008-9 of £4,245 (before tax) was 3% higher than 2007-8. The special responsibility allowance for the Leader of the council of £12,000 was 35.5% higher than 2007-8.
for 2009-10, which was supported by the full Council in Dec 2008. A further year's freeze was voted in Dec 2009. Here are the current rates:
The basic allowance for each Councillor is £4,245
The table below shows the special responsibilities in respect of which additional allowances are payable, and the relevant annual amounts for 2008-11.
Download full details of the Elmbridge Members Allowances Scheme 2010-11
Surrey County Council Allowances
ANNUAL ALLOWANCES
Surrey County Councillor annual allowances for 2009-10 are as follows:
| Basic Allowance (80 councillors) |
£11,791
|
| On top of the Basic Allowance, additional allowances are payable to councillors with special responsibilities: | |
| Leader of the Council (1) |
£27,000
|
| Executive Members (inc. Dep. Leader) (9) |
£16,500
|
| Select Committee Chairmen (8) |
£10,000
|
| Planning & Regulatory Committee Chairman (1) |
£10,000
|
| Audit & Governance Chairman (1) |
£9,000
|
| Local Committee Chairmen (11) |
£6,000
|
| Committee Vice-Chairmen (Select (excluding Health Scrutiny), Planning and Audit) (9) |
£3,000
|
| Health Scrutiny Vice-chairman |
£3,000
|
| Chairman of Council (1) |
£15,000
(plus clothing allowance of up to £3,004.80) |
| Vice-Chairman of Council (1) |
£5,000
(plus clothing allowance of up to £363) |
| Officers of Political Groups |
£170 per Member (subject to a minimum of 2)
|
| Champions (7) |
£1,000
|
| Chairman of Standards (1) |
£1,500, plus £40 per hour for panel sittings
|
| Standards Committee independent representatives |
£500, plus £20 per hour for panel sittings (£40
if chair panel)
|
OTHER ALLOWANCES (Surrey County Council)
| Travelling (motorcycles/cars) | 22.5p/40p per mile
No change, based on maintaining link to HM Revenue & Customs maxima |
| Subsistence (breakfast, lunch, tea and evening meal) |
£5.30/£7.25/£2.90/ £9.00 Link to staff subsistence increase for the future |
| Overnight (outside London/ London) |
£85.80 / £97.85 Link to staff subsistence increase for the future |
| Co-optees |
None
|
| Childcare |
£6.75 per hour
|
| Care of Dependents |
£14.50 per hour
|