PUBLIC NOTICE

The Local Authoritries (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003

The above Regulations provide that a Parish Council may pay a parish basic allowance for each year:

(a) to its Chairman only; or

(b) to each of its members.

The amount of the allowance payable to the Chairman may differ from that payable to other members of the authority, but otherwise the amounts must be the same for each member.

The Regulations also provide that a Parish Council may pay to its members travel and subsistence allowance including an allowance in respect of travel by bicycle or by any other non-motorised form of transport, undertaken or incurred in connection with the performance of various prescribed duties.

In the case of both allowances, the Parish Council must have regard to the recommendations contained in a report of an independent parish remuneration panel.

Take Notice:

(1) The Council has received a report from a Parish Remuneration Panel in respect of the above allowances.

(2) The report divides Councils into small, medium and large having regard to population (1991 census) and precept 2003/04. Ash Parish Council is a Medium council.

(3) On the basis of time spent for each size of council the recommended levels of parish basic allowance are:

Small £108

Medium £216

Large £420

The report also indicates that it may be reasonable for the Chairman, who carries a significantly higher burden in terms of time and effort than do ordinary members, to have a parish basic allowance up to twice that of ordinary members.

The report also recommends that, so long as the National Association of Parish Councils continues to provide a scale of travel and subsistence allowance, all Parish Councils should pay travel and subsistence allowance on this basis. The duties for which travel and subsistence allowance is payable are set out in the report.

Copies of the Panel’s report are available for inspection on reasonable notice. If you wish to inspect a copy of the report you should contact the Clerk to Ash Parish Council on 01304 826386 or clerk@ashparishcouncil.net. A copy of the report will be supplied on request for a fee set by the Parish Council of £1 (or free by email).

(4) Ash Parish Council has set the following levels for parish basic allowance and travel and subsistence allowance for the year ended 31 March 2004 and 31 March 2005, having regard to the recommendations of the Parish remuneration Panel, which shall be payable to all members of the Parish Council as appropriate with effect from 5 January 2004.

Parish Basis Allowance - £0.00

Ash Parish Councillors voted against claiming Basic Parish Allowance.

Travel Allowance - 40p per mile

The rate for travel by a member’s own private motor vehicle, or one belonging to a member of his/her family or otherwise provided for his/her use.

Subsistence Allowance

a. In the case of an absence, not involving an overnight stay:

i) More than 4 hrs before 11am - £4.92 (breakfast allowance)

ii) More than 4 hrs between 12noon and 2pm - £6.77 (lunch allowance)

iii) More than 4 hrs 3-6pm - £2.67 (tea allowance)

iv) More than 4 hrs ending after 7pm - £8.38 (evening meal allowance)

b. In the case of an absence overnight from the usual place of residence:

£79.82, or for such an absence overnight in London, or for the purpose s of attendance at an annual conference of the Local Government Association £91.04.

Any rate determined under b. above shall be deemed to cover a continuous period of absence of 24 hrs.

The rates specified in a. above shall be reduced by an appropriate amount in respect of any meal provided free of charge by an authority or body in respect of the meal or the period to which the allowance relates.