Member's expenses

Report: 7
Date: 21 October 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

The basis on which members’ expenses are paid has been deregulated. The Authority is required to adopt a scheme following deregulation. This report proposes that the Authority continues with its present scheme, based on Home Office guidance, pending consideration of a new scheme.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the basis for the payment of members’ expenses as detailed in appendix 1 be approved; and
2. proposals for a new scheme which takes account of the recommendations of the APA’s Independent Panel be brought initially to the Standards Committee for recommendation to the full Authority

B. Supporting information

1. The Police Reform Act 2002 amends the Police Act 1996 to deregulate the provisions for the payment of members’ travel and other expenses, with effect from 1 October 2002. Before that Home Office rates were applied.

2. Members may recall that last year the Association of Police Authorities commissioned an independent panel to recommend a scheme of members’ allowances for police authorities following deregulation of allowances schemes. This panel has now reviewed the operation of allowances schemes some six months on and has also produced a suggested national framework for travel and subsistence expenses.

3. It is proposed to report to the Standards Committee on this APA review, also taking into account, to achieve some consistency, any provisions that the Greater London Authority applies in terms of, for instance, modes and classes of travel. The Standards Committee’s recommendations will then be reported to the full Authority.

4. The immediate need is formally to agree an interim expenses scheme to be applied from 1 October 2002 until such time as a new scheme is introduced. It is recommended that the MPA continues to apply its current scheme, which is based on Home Office rates. This is attached as Appendix 1.

C. Equality and diversity implications

5. There are no equality and diversity implications arising from the recommendations of this report.

D. Financial implications

6. There are no direct financial implications in continuing with the current basis for the payment of members’ expenses as an interim measure. As before, costs should be kept within budget.

E. Background papers

• Association of Police Authorities Circular 74/2002

F. Contact details

Report author: Simon Vile, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Scheme for payment of member's allowances

Expenses to be paid to Members

In addition to the new Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances Scheme all MPA members can claim the additional expenses listed below as approved at the Chair’s Co-Ordination and Urgency Committee on 31 August 2000.

Travel allowances

The rates for travel by a member’s own motor car and motor cycle as set out in the Home Office’s Circular HOC4/2002 are as follows:

• up to and including 1,100 cubic centimetres 30.98 pence per mile
• from 1,101 to 1,400 cubic centimetres inclusive 39.90 pence per mile
• exceeding 1,401 cubic centimetres 50.65 pence per mile

The rates set out above shall apply to the first 5,000 miles thereafter a standard rate of 26.13 per mile will be paid.

If travelling by rail, members are entitled to travel first class.

Meals on trains

Meals taken on trains may be reimbursed in full, within the specified Home Office limits as follows:

• 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.

Business calls

Members may claim an allowance of up to £30 per month for business calls.

Laptops

Members with MPA laptops can claim business internet use but their claim must be accompanied by an itemised phone bill.

Attendance, conference allowances and reading time

Members will no longer receive attendance, conference, night and day subsistence allowances or reading time as these have been replace by the new Members’ Allowances scheme

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