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The new regulations apply only to elected councillors and not to
those who are co-opted or non-councillors who are co-opted onto a
committee.
The allowance is not a salary. It is a figure, which is
calculated to cover the expenses, which are normally associated with the
basic duties of being a local councillor. Travelling and
subsistence allowances are treated separately.
Record Keeping
The Council is required to maintain records of payments made in
respect of the allowances specifying the name of the recipient and the
nature of the allowance. These records can be inspected by any
local government elector for the parish or town without payment of a fee
upon giving reasonable notice. Copies must be provided if so
requested and a reasonable fee can again to charged.
Election to Forgo an Allowance
A member is able to elect in writing to the Clerk that he or she
wishes to forgo all or any part of their entitlement to the above
allowances.
Recovery of Payments Made
The regulations provide for the recovery of allowances already paid
to a member where for example, that member has been disqualified for a
period of time following a complaint being made to the Standards Board
for England.
Dependents' Carer's Allowance
Parish or Town Councillors are not entitled to claim this allowance
under the regulations and yet it is available under the new regulation,
for example, to those district councillors with dependent children.
Tax Implications
When paying participation allowances to elected members, local
councils are obliged by law to deduct income tax. The Inland
Revenue treats all councillors for all tiers equally.
Allowances Paid 2013-14 (Half Year Payment)
Cllr L Attewell
£116.00
Cllr H Brumpton-Surgey
£116.00
Cllr R Butler
£116.00
Cllr C Chewings
£116.00
Cllr S Gardner
£116.00
Cllr S McGinley (Chairman)
£1079.00 (1,159 per annum and £1,000 honorarium)
Cllr I Shaw
£116.00
Cllr B Tansley
£116.00
(Not all councillors claim the allowance).
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