GLA: amendments to the members’ allowance scheme

Report: 4
Date: 31 August 2000
By: Clerk

Summary

This report requests the Authority to amend its Members’ Allowance Scheme.

A. Supporting information

Background

1. Members of the Authority are entitled to claim allowances and reimbursement for their duties as a member of the Authority. Magistrate and Independent Members can claim attendance allowance as set out in the Home Office Circular dated 23 March 2000. Under the Greater London Authority Act 1999, Assembly members are disbarred from claiming attendance allowance. However, all members may claim travel and subsistence expenses.

2. At the Authority meeting on 26 June 2000, members approved a Members’ Allowance Scheme and a copy of this is attached at Appendix 1.

Proposed amendments

3. Since the introduction of the Members’ Allowance Scheme, it has become clear that some areas had not been included in the original proposals and it is proposed that the following approved duties be added to the Scheme:

Attendance at meetings undertaken on behalf of the MPA in relation to geographical link duties, such as PCCG meetings, discussions with crime and disorder partners, visits to local BOCU’s and other relevant local constituency meetings.

Informal briefing and familiarisation sessions relating to MPA responsibilities ie C3i, at the invitation of the MPS; and

Reading time (up to a maximum of 3 hours per month).

4. It is also proposed that Scheme include, for Independent and Magistrate members only, an allowance for business calls made from home or mobile phones. Claims would need to be made in conjunction with a submission of an itemised telephone bill and claims per month should not exceed £30.00.

It should be noted that, with regard to attendance allowance and in line with the Home Office Circular 8/2000, no member may claim more than £7,500 in a financial year, with the exception of the Chair, who may not claim more than £11,250 in any financial year.

B. Recommendation

1. That the following be added to the Members Allowance Scheme, Approved Duties:
   1. Attendance at meetings undertaken on behalf of the MPA in relation to geographical link duties, such as PCCG meetings, discussions with crime and disorder partners, visits to local BOCU’s and other relevant local constituency meetings.
   2. Informal briefing and familiarisation sessions relating to MPA responsibilities ie C3i, at the invitation of the MPS; and
   3. Reading time (up to a maximum of 3 hours per month); and
2. That an allowance for Independent and Magistrate members be approved for business calls made from home or mobile phones. Claims per month should not exceed £30.00.

C. Financial implications

Members should note that, with regard to attendance allowance and in line with the Home Office Circular 8/2000, no member may claim more than £7,500 in a financial year, with the exception of the Chair, who may not claim more than £11,250 in any financial year.

D. Review arrangements

The allowance scheme can be reviewed at any time by the Authority.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed above or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

• Metropolitan Police Authority report ‘Members’ Allowance Scheme’ 26 June 2000
• Home Office Circular 8/2000

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Nick Baker and Jenny Trevillion.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1: Metropolitan Police Authority Members' Allowance Scheme

1. The Metropolitan Police Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Greater London Authority Act 1999, hereby makes the following scheme:

General

2. This scheme may be cited as the Metropolitan Police Authority Members' Allowance Scheme and shall take effect from June 2000 for members of the new Police Authority.

Definitions

3. In this scheme, ‘member’ means a Metropolitan Police Authority member appointed by virtue of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. 'Financial Year' means the twelve months ending 31 March.

Qualification

4. Under the Greater London Authority Act 1999, Assembly members are disbarred from claiming attendance allowance. However, they can claim travel and subsistence expenses. It should be noted that Independent and Magistrate members, can claim both attendance allowance and travel and subsistence.

Creation and amendment of the scheme

5. Future amendments require the approval of the Authority unless the changes are consequential alterations of amounts or rights enacted by Home Office Circular. In the latter case, the Clerk is authorised to make the changes.

Approved duties

6. Members' Allowance and travel and subsistence expenses will be payable for the following approved duties:

1. Attendance at a meeting of the Authority.
2. Attendance at a meeting of any Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority where the claimant is a member of that body.
3. Attendance at a meeting of any working party or other meeting authorised by the Authority or a Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority where the claimant is a member of that body.
4. Attendance at a meeting of bodies of which the Authority is a member and to which they have been appointed by the Authority or a Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority to represent the Police Authority. (This includes Crime and Disorder Partnerships.)
5. Attendance at meetings of other bodies or authorities to which the member has been appointed by the Authority or a Committee or Sub-Committee of the Authority to represent the Police Authority.
6. Attendance at any launch, training or briefing event provided by the Authority
7. Attendance at an external conference or training event which has been authorised by the Authority

7. It is proposed that only travel and subsistence expenses be paid to members attending meetings of the Authority of which they are not an appointed member.

8. All other claims are payable only in respect of an "approved duty". Approval by the Police Authority or any of its Committees or Sub-Committees of any duty, other than those listed above, should normally precede performance of the duty.

9. Where this is not possible or appropriate, or in cases of urgency, the Clerk to the Authority may determine, after consultation with the Chair of the Authority, whether it is an approved duty for the purposes of the payment of Members' allowance.

10. Where the Clerk invites a member to undertake duties which clearly relate to their role as a member of the Police Authority, that shall be deemed an approved duty.

Conference allowances

11. Where attendance at a national or regional seminar, training event or meeting is declared an approved duty for attendance allowance, the Home Office scheme of members’ allowance does not apply if the event is organised by more than one Police Authority or by the APA. In such cases, Section 175 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1972 applies and the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions rate of £30.39 can be claimed for any 24 hour period.

Payment of members’ allowances expenses

12. The scales for the payment of Members' Allowance are specified in the Schedule. They are the maxima prescribed by the Home Office and there is no obligation on a member to claim any, or all, of the allowance.

13. Attendance allowance may be claimed for reasonable travelling time incurred.

Payment of travel and subsistence

14. Members may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary travelling expenses by public transport, including the cost of taxi fares where appropriate, in respect of approved duties. If travelling by rail, members are entitled to travel first class.

15. Travel and subsistence expenses in respect of other duties undertaken by Police Authority members will require the prior approval of the Authority.

16. The rates payable for travel and subsistence expenses are specified in the Schedule.

Claims for the payment of allowances and expenses

17. A claim for payment of allowances and expenses under this scheme shall be made in writing on the prescribed form within one month of the date of the meeting or other approved duty in respect of which the entitlement arises.

18. Payment will be made directly into members’ bank accounts and will have tax and National Insurance deducted at source.

Schedule scheme of allowances - financial limits

19. Members' Allowance Members (excluding Assembly members) may claim an allowance of: £17 for each complete hour spent on police authority business. No member may claim attendance allowance of more than £7,500 in any financial year except the Chair of the Authority who may claim £11,250 in any financial year.

No entitlement to allowances

The law prevents the payment of allowances for Member Surgeries and political activities. Social functions associated with the Police Authority will not attract the payment of attendance allowance or travel and subsistence expenses No attendance allowances can be claimed for voluntary attendance at meetings of which the claimant is not a member. Travel and subsistence expenses only will be paid in such cases.

Travel allowances

The rates for travel by a member's own motor car or motor cycle are as follows for the use of a motor vehicle of cylinder capacity: Capacity Rate (Pence Per Mile) Not exceeding 1100cc 27.4 1101 - 1400cc 36.8 Exceeding 1401cc 44.7

The rates set out above shall apply to the first 5,000 miles claimed by a member in the financial year.

Thereafter, a standard rate of 23.6 pence per mile will be paid. If a passenger is carried on any journey, an additional 1.0 pence per mile will be paid in respect of each passenger up to a maximum of 4.

Bicycle allowance will be paid at 6.9 pence per mile.

Overnight absence

In cases where an approved duty involves an overnight stay, the Clerk will book and pay for accommodation in almost all circumstances and the costs will be regarded as part of the conference expenses. Where a member decides to book accommodation direct the maximum rate that can be reimbursed is £77.43 apart from in the Greater London area where the limit is £88.31.

Day subsistence allowance

The rate of day subsistence allowance in the case of an absence from the usual place of residence shall be: - of more than 4 but not more than 8 hours £6.57 - of more than 8 but not more than 12 hours £9.16 - of more than 12 hours £17.29 Subsistence allowances are not payable for meetings where lunch or other meals have been provided by the Authority.

Meals on trains

When main meals (ie a full breakfast, lunch or dinner) are taken on trains during a period for which there is entitlement to day subsistence, the reasonable cost of meals (including VAT), may be reimbursed in full, within the limits specified below. Where the cost of meals taken on trains is reimbursed, the rate of day subsistence allowance for that period of duty shall not exceed the maximum payable if the period of absence from the usual place of residence were reduced by 4 hours in respect of each meal taken. The limitations of reimbursement are: absence of more than 4 hours but not more than 8 hours, the cost of 1 main meal, absence of more than 8 hours but not more than 12 hours, the cost of 2 main meals; absence of more than 12 hours, the cost of 3 main meals.

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