Member Allowance Scheme

Revised Scheme for 2008/9 – amended following 23 May FRA

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Scheme for the Payment of Members’ Allowances

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 (SI No. 2003: 1021) hereby make the following scheme.

1. This revised scheme shall have effect from 1 April 2008.

2. In this scheme:-

“member” means a member of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority;

“year” means the 12 months ending with 31 March;

“independent person” means a person, other than a member of the Authority, appointed to serve on the Authority’s Standards Committee (in accordance with Section 53 of the Local Government Act 2000 and The Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) Regulations 2001);

3. Basic Allowances

3.1 Basic allowance payable to each member from 1 April 2008 shall be £3,100 per year, increased annually thereafter for inflation as provided for in paragraph 14 of this scheme, and payable by monthly instalments in advance on the first day of each month.

4. Special Responsibility Allowances

4.1 The members holding the offices specified in Schedule 2 shall receive the Special Responsibility Allowances there shown.

4.2 No member shall be entitled to receive more than one special responsibility allowance, save that the allowance for membership of the Regional Management Board may be claimed in addition to any other special responsibility allowance.

4.3 Special responsibility allowances shall be increased annually for inflation with effect from 1 April as provided for in paragraph 14, and be payable by monthly instalments in advance on the first day of each month.

5. Travel and Subsistence Allowances

5.1 Payment of travel and subsistence allowances shall be made in respect of the approved duties undertaken by a member, as set out in Schedule 1 to this scheme, as amended from time to time by the Authority.

5.2 The amounts payable to each member in respect of travel allowances and subsistence allowances shall be in accordance with the scales adopted by the Staffordshire County Council, from time to time, outlined in Schedule 2.

6. Dependants'/Carers' Allowance

6.1 A member may claim a dependants'/carers' allowance of the actual hourly rate of care provision, up to a maximum of £6.97 (wef 1 April 2008) per hour, subject to the conditions set out in 9.1.

6.2 Payment may only be claimed in respect of children aged 16 years or under and in respect of other dependants where there is medical or social work evidence that care is required (which shall be submitted to the Treasurer to the Authority).  The allowance claimed should be based on actual expenditure (up to a maximum of £6.97 (wef 1 April 2007) per hour) and claims should be accompanied by appropriate receipts.  Allowances will not be payable if the member is to be reimbursed for payment made/to be made to a member of the claimant’s household (ie. a person usually residing with a claimant).

7. Independent Persons

7.1 Any person appointed as an independent person shall be paid an annual allowance of £1281 (agreed by FRA 23 May 2008 was 608 from 1 April to 22 May 2008), updated from 1 April each year as determined by the Authority, yearly in advance.

8. Renunciation

8.1 A member may, by notice given to the Director of Assets and Resources, elect to forego any part of his or her entitlement to an allowance under this scheme.

8.2 Any such notice shall specify the effective date of renunciation and, once given, the notice may not be revoked otherwise than with effect from 1 April in any year.

9. Time Limit for Claims

9.1 Members shall claim travelling and subsistence or dependants' carer's allowance within two months of the event giving rise to the claim.

9.2 The Treasurer may, having consulted the Chair of the Authority, accept a late claim for good cause, and make the related payments.

10. Dual Claims

10.1 Where a member of the Authority is also able to claim allowances as a member of another authority, that member may not receive allowances from more than one authority in respect of the same duties.

11. Right to Withdraw Allowances or Require Repayment

11.1 Where a member is suspended or partially suspended from his or her duties as a member of this Authority in accordance with Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 or Regulations made under that Part, the Authority reserves the right to withhold that part of basic or special responsibility allowance or travelling and subsistence allowance payable to him or her in respect of the period of suspension or part suspension.

11.2 In the circumstances outlined in paragraph 11.1, or if a member ceases to be a member of the Authority, or is in any other way not entitled to receive an allowance for any particular period, the Authority reserves the right to require that such part of the allowance as relates to any such period be repaid to it.

12. Part-year Entitlement

12.1 The provisions of this paragraph shall have effect to regulate the entitlements of a member to basic and special responsibility where, in the course of a year:-

(a) this scheme is amended; or

(b) that person becomes or ceases to be a member; or

(c) that member accepts or relinquishes a special responsibility for which a special responsibility allowance is payable.

12.2 In relation to basic and special responsibility allowances:-

(a) if an amendment to this scheme changes the amount to which a member is entitled; or

(b) where the term of office of a member begins or ends otherwise than at the beginning or end of a year; or

(c) where the special responsibilities of a member do not subsist throughout the year; or

(d) where the scheme is amended as referred to in (a) above and the term of office and/or the special responsibilities of the member do not subsist throughout any part of the periods within the year distinguished by the payment of different amounts for these allowances;

then the entitlement to the allowances shall be calculated by reference to the proportion the number of days in each such period bears to the number of days in that year.

13. Administration

13.1 The Director of Assets and Resources shall maintain, on behalf of the Authority, a record of all payments made under this scheme which shall specify in relation to each payment the name of the recipient and the amount and nature of the payment.

13.2 This record shall be available at all reasonable times for inspection by local government electors in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire at no charge.  Copies will be provided on request on payment of a reasonable fee decided by the Treasurer.

14. Review of Allowances

14.1 The basic and special responsibility allowances payable under this scheme shall be reviewed annually from 1 April each year based on the NJC for Local Government Services annual pay reviews, and any percentage increase applied automatically from that date.

14.2 The annual allowance for independent persons and the dependants’/carers' allowance shall be reviewed by the Authority annually.

15. Revision or Revocation of the Scheme

15.1 This scheme may only be amended or revoked by the Authority in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Regulations.

Original scheme agreed 16 December 2004, revised on 3 June 2005, revised again on 27 March 2006, 23 February 2007 and 9 October 2007, February 2008 and amended May 2008.

SCHEDULE 1

Approved Duties

For the purposes of paragraph 5 of the Fire Authority’s Scheme for the Payment of Members’ Allowances, the following shall be regarded as approved duties:-

• Meetings of the Fire Authority.

• Meetings of Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels, Working Groups etc of the Authority.

• Any other meeting convened by the Authority (or by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman in cases of urgency) to which Members are invited.

• Meetings between the Chairman and/or the Vice-Chairman of the Authority and/or the Chairmen and/or Vice-Chairmen of the Authority's Committees and officers of the Authority or other fire authorities or brigades to discuss Authority business.

• Meetings between other members of the Authority and officers of the Authority or the Brigade to discuss Authority business, at the specific direction of the Authority, or at the specific or general direction of the Chairman.

• Meetings of the Regional Management Board, its Committees or Project Groups.

• Meetings attended by members in accordance with the Local Member Involvement Scheme approved by the Authority from time to time.

• Attendance at meetings and conferences of the Local Government Association (including plenary meetings and Policy Groups) by the appointed members or their substitutes.

• Attendance at HM Inspector’s and Audit Commission Inspections (including Comprehensive Performance Assessment) and meetings related to Inspections.

• Attendance at commendation parades and long service awards.

• Meetings organised by the Authority with Ministers and/or government officials on Authority business.

• Meetings organised by the Authority with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Members of Parliament.

• LGA Annual Fire Conference – Chairman and Vice-Chairman and Councillor Jebb - or any other member specifically authorised by the Authority.

• Annual seminar for Combined Fire Authorities – Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

• Annual Emergency Planning Conference – two members only

• Annual Standards Board Conference – two members of the Fire Authority’s Standards Committee

• Attendance at any other meetings, groups, seminars, conferences, courses or visits on Authority matters, subject to the approval of the Authority (or the Chairman or Vice-Chairman in the case of urgency) for attendance at individual events.

• Meetings of bodies (other than those specified above) to which the Authority has resolved to make appointments or nominations (for example Crime Reduction Partnerships).

• Carrying out any other duty approved by the Authority, or any duty of a class so approved, for the purpose of, or in connection with, the discharge of the Authority’s functions.

SCHEDULE 2

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Special Responsibility Allowances

The basic and special responsibility allowances payable under this scheme shall be uplifted with effect from 1 April each year based on NJC for Local Government Services annual pay reviews and any percentage increase applied automatically from that date.

		2008/09
Basic Allowance		3,100
Chairman of the Fire Authority		13,891
Vice Chairman of the Fire Authority		6,946
Major Opposition Spokesperson		3,472
Membership of Regional Management Board		3,324
Strategy & Resources Committee	Chair	Notional 2,217
	Vice Chair	Notional 828
Scrutiny & Performance Committee	Chair	2,217
	Vice Chair	828
Best Value Panel	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	554
Diversity & Equality Panel	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	554
HR Policy Committee	Chair	2,217
	Vice Chair	828
Community Liaison Forum (was Panel)	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	554
Service Development Panel	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	554
Audit Committee	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	Notional 554
Standards & Complaints Committee	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	N/A
	Independent	1281 WEF 23 May 2008 (was 608)
Staff Consultation & Negotiating Forum	Chair	-
	Vice Chair	-
Integrated Asset Development Strategy Programme Board	Chair	4,304
Community Development and Engagement Panel (LAA)	Chair	1,108
	Vice Chair	554

Travelling and Subsistence Allowances Scheme

Mileage Allowances - Cars Motorcycles and Bicycles (WEF 1 April 2007)

Mileage Allowance for All cars (per mile)	50 p
Mileage Allowance for Motorcycles (per mile)	25 p
Mileage Allowance – Cycling (per mile)	20 p

Subsistence Allowances

Breakfast
A duty of four hours - three of which should be before 11 am	£5
Lunch
A duty of four hours including 12 noon to 2 pm.	£7
Tea
A duty of four hours including 3pm to 6 pm	£3
Dinner
A duty of four hours ending after 7pm	£10 (wef 1 April 2007)
Overnight
London allowance	£92
All other	£80