This page provides details of the Members Allowances Scheme, which came into effect from 1 April 2022.
The amount councillors can claim is reviewed every year by the Independent Members Allowances Panel. Copies of the Panel’s report and full scheme are available for inspection by the public on the Council’s website.
Basic Allowance
A basic allowance be paid to each of the 45 councillors at £4,846.20 per annum.
Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA)
Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) of the amounts indicated be paid per annum to the following office holders:
- Cabinet Member – £5,857.92
- Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairman – £3,963.72
- Audit and Finance Committee Chairman – £3,963.72
- Licensing Committee Chairman – £1439.16
- Planning Committee Chairman – £4,464.96
- Deputy Planning Committee Chairman – £1,476
- Chair of the Council – £5,024.64
- Vice-Chair of the Council – £1,242.36
- Leader of the Council – £14,169.60
- Minority Group Leader(s) (where group is 5 or more members) – £1,125.45 plus £184.50 per member
- Minority Group Leader(s) (where group is less than 5 members) – £399
- Standards Committee Chairman – £1439.16
- Independent Persons on Standards Committee – £867.12
No councillor shall be entitled to more than one SRA payment. Where a councillor holds more than one office, then the higher of the SRA shall apply. In the event of the Council deciding to appoint a Member of the Cabinet as Deputy Leader, that officeholder shall receive just the same as all the other Cabinet Members.
The payment for the Minority Group Leader is only paid to the Leader of the largest minority party.
A further £1,002 is paid to the Chairman of the Council and £300 to the Vice-Chair of the Council to cover the cost of clothing, donations, tipping, etc. These amounts are provided separately under Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Child Carer’s Allowance
Childcare Allowances to be paid in line with, but not less than, the national minimum wage; however Wealden’s policy of reimbursing reasonable actual costs of care above the level of the allowance is endorsed, at the Portfolio Holder’s discretion
Carer’s Allowance to be paid up to £12 per hour (i.e. actual expenditure incurred up to a maximum of £12 per hour to be paid for elderly dependant/dependants with disability care) , subject to the following conditions:
- Carers must be pre-nominated (except in emergency) with the Council’s Proper Officer (Democratic Services Manager);
- payments to be limited in their application to formal meetings of the Council; and
- there must be evidence of payment.
Travelling Allowance
Whatever the current Inland Revenue Approved Mileage Allowance Payments to apply. As from 6th April, 2011 the following rules have applied:
- Car or Van – 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter
- Motor Cycle – 24p per mile (all miles)
- Cycle (and other non-motored forms of transport) – 20p per mile (all miles)
Subsistence Allowance
- Breakfast – up to £6.50
- Lunch – up to £8.50
- Evening Meal – up to £15.00
All claims must be accompanied by a valid receipt and payment is subject to councillors signing to say they have actually and necessarily incurred the amount being claimed. Previous stipulations relating to period away from home, timing/length of meeting, etc have been deleted.
Co-optees Allowances
Co-optees allowance – payment of expenses and carers’ allowances to apply.
Pensionable Allowances
Pensionable Allowances – none.
Time Limit
There is a three month time limit from the date on which an entitlement to each of the following allowances arises, during which a claim for such allowances must be made by the person to whom they are payable:
- Carers’ allowances;
- Travelling and subsistence allowance; and
- Co-optees allowances.