STANDING ORDERS Appendix O - Members Allowances Scheme

Member Allowances Scheme

 

COUNCIL OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY

MEMBERS ALLOWANCES SCHEME

(revised May 2025)

 

The COUNCIL OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 18 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (as amended by the Local Government Act 2000) and the Local Government (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 (the 2003 Regulations), hereby makes the following scheme:

 

1          Introduction   

1.1        This scheme may be cited as “The Council of the Isles of Scilly Members' Allowances Scheme" and shall have effect from 6 May 2025 and subsequent years.

 

2          Definitions

2.1       In this scheme:-

“Co-Optee” means a person not elected to the Council of the Isles of Scilly, but who is selected to satisfy legislation, or to provide an experienced or knowledgeable view of a particular Committees business.  They may be appointed by Full Council, by Committee, Government Department or by legislative decree.

"Councillor" means an elected member of the Council of the Isles of Scilly who is a Councillor;

“Independent Person” means a person not elected to the Council of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, who is appointed by Full Council to assist the Monitoring Office with Standards issues. 

“Municipal year” means the year from 1 May to 30 April, noting that in an election year existing Members retire on the fourth day after the day of the election and new members take office on the same day.

"Year" means the 12 months ending on 30 April in any year, noting that in an election year existing Members retire on the fourth day after the day of the election and new members take office on the same day.

 

3          Basic Allowance

3.1       Subject to paragraphs 3.2, 5 and 6, for each year a Basic Allowance (to include incidental expenses) as shown in Schedule 1 of this scheme shall be paid to each Councillor.

3.2       The Basic Allowance shall be indexed to the annual local government pay percentage increase as agreed by the National Joint Committee for Local Government Services at SCP 43, to be implemented the same year that it applies to Officers.

3.3          Members are entitled to this provided they are not receiving allowances from more than one authority in respect of the same duties.

 

4          Special Responsibility Allowance

4.1       For each year a Special Responsibility Allowance shall be paid to those Councillors who hold the special responsibilities in relation to the Authority that are specified in Schedule 1 to this scheme.

4.2       Subject to paragraph 6, the amount of each such allowance shall be the amount specified against that special responsibility in that Schedule.

4.3       No more than two Special Responsibility Allowances may be claimed by individual Councillors.

4.4       The Special Responsibility Allowance shall be indexedto the annual local government pay percentage increase as agreed by the National Joint Committee for Local Government Services at SCP 43, to be implemented the same year that it applies to Officers.

 

5          Eligibility and Renunciation

5.1       Basic Allowance:

Any Councillor may, by notice in writing given to the Chief Executive, elect to forego any part of their entitlement to the basic allowance.

5.2       Special Responsibility Allowance

A Councillor may, by notice in writing given to the Chief Executive, elect to forego any part of his entitlement to a Special Responsibility Allowance under this scheme.

5.3       Co-optees  and Independent Persons Allowance

The Independent Person Allowance is shown in schedule 2 and shall be indexed to the annual local government pay percentage increase as agreed by the National Joint Committee for Local Government Services at SCP 43, to be implemented the same year that it applies to Officers.

There shall be no Co-optee allowance.

 

6         Part-Year Entitlements

6.1       Entitlements of a Councillor to Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances, will be appropriately pro-rated where, in the course of a year, this scheme is amended or a Councillor becomes, or ceases to be, a Councillor, or accepts or relinquishes a special responsibility in respect of which a special responsibility allowance is payable.

 

7          Claims and Payments

7.1       A claim for Basic or Special Responsibility Allowances under this scheme shall be made in writing on the appropriate form within two months of 1st May in any year and should be submitted on an annual basis. Payments will be made monthly by the last working day or each month.  A failure to submit a claim will result in no payment being made as the Councillor will be assumed to have exercised their right to forego either their Basic or Special Responsibility Allowances.

 

8          Submission of Travel and Subsistence Claims

8.1      Claims for Travel and Subsistence should be made within three months of the approved duty being carried out and supported by VAT receipts.  Credit Card receipts are not sufficient.

 

9          Payment of  Basic Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowance when on leave or following a Member ceasing to be a Member

9.1       Members will continue to receive their basic and special responsibility allowance(s) when on permitted leave from their Member role. Permitted leave includes maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave and periods of absence due to sickness. Members must remain cognisant of the fact that if they fail to attend a Council meeting for a period of 6 months that they cease to be a Member unless they receive an extension from the Council prior to the expiry of the 6 month period.

9.2       When a Member ceases to be a Member of the Council or is in any other way not entitled to receive allowances, payments of allowances will be withheld/cease from the date the Member ceases to be a Member or from the date their entitlement otherwise ceased.

 

10        Travel Allowances - within the Isles of Scilly

10.1     All Council/Committee meetings are held in the Council Chamber in the Wesleyan Chapel, Garrison Lane, St Mary’s.  Therefore, the only travel expenses within the Isles of Scilly reimbursed or paid for in advance is for Councillors who have to travel by boat from the off-islands.  No travel mileage or otherwise is paid for travel within the Islands.  There are no other travel costs met for attending approved duties within the Isles of Scilly.

 

10.2     Should any meeting be held at another venue on a different island to St Mary’s, only the Councillors attending who do not live on that island will be eligible to have their travel costs paid.

 

10.3        Members using their own boat to travel to and from St Mary’s for meetings may claim mileage at the HMRC approved mileage rate in accordance with Schedule 3.

 

10.4      All travel allowances to be indexed to HMRC approved mileage rates.

10.5      All subsistence allowances to be indexed at the same rate as apply to officers.

 

11        Travel and Subsistence Allowances – to the Mainland

11.1     Members must notify Democratic Services of their proposed travel, together with the reason for leaving the Islands on behalf of the Council.  Their flight and any car hire will be booked and paid for in advance by Democratic Services.  Any train, accommodation and subsistence may be reclaimed using the approved scheme in accordance with Schedule 3.

11.2     Failure to book through Democratic Services may result in a refusal by the Council to pay expenses. 

11.3      Substitutes attending a meeting on the mainland or the representative appointed to the Board of Governors to the Cornwall NHS Foundation Partnership Trust attending a meeting on the mainland in accordance with their duties as the appointed representative, may claim a per diem allowance of £30 per day in addition to any travel and subsistence allowances.

11.4     Members using their own vehicle on the mainland may claim mileage at the HMRC approved mileage rate in accordance with Schedule 3.

11.5      All travel allowances to be indexed to HMRC approved mileage rates.

11.6      All subsistence allowances to be indexed at the same rate as apply to officers.

 

12        Records of Allowances and Publicity

12.1     In accordance with the 2003 Regulations and the Local Government Transparency Code 2015, detailed record will be kept of the name of the recipient and the amount and nature of each payment made.  This will be available for public inspection at all reasonable times or copies supplied following the payment of a reasonable fee.

 

12.2     As soon as is reasonably practicable after the end of the municipal year to which the scheme relates the total sum paid to each recipient in respect of basic allowances, special responsibility allowance, and out of islands travelling and subsistence allowance will be published on the Council’s website.

 

13        Independent Remuneration Panel

13.1        Decisions on remuneration will be reached by Full Council having regard to any recommendation from the Governance Committee of the Council, which may or may not seek external guidance from an independent remuneration panel or an independent review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1

THE COUNCIL OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME

 

Basic Allowance, SRAs and remuneration of the Independent Person are indexed to the annual local government pay percentage increase as agreed by the National Joint Committee for Local Government Services at SCP 43, to be implemented the same year that it applies to Officers.

 

 

BASIC ALLOWANCE AND SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 2025/26

 The following sets out the Basic Allowance and the Special Responsibilities in respect of which a Special Responsibility Allowance is payable, and the amounts of the allowance.  

 

BASIC ALLOWANCE

£7831

CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL

£16445

VICE CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL

£8614

CHAIRMAN OF SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

£3916

CHAIRMAN OF LICENSING COMMITTEE

£2349

CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

£3916

CHAIRMAN IFCA COMMITTEE

£3916

LEAD MEMBER CHILDREN

£3916

LEAD MEMBER ECONOMY, TOURISM, TRANSPORT

£2741

LEAD MEMBER ADULTS

£2741

LEAD MEMBER ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AND CLIMATE CHANGE

£2741

LEAD MEMBER PLANNING AND REGULATORY SERVICES

£2741

LEAD MEMBER FOR FINANCE

£2741

LEAD MEMBER FOR HOUSING AND CORPORATE ESTATE

£2741

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 2

 

 

THE COUNCIL OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY

INDEPENDENT PERSON ALLOWANCES

2025/26

 

 

1          Independent Person (IP) for Standards Issues                                                   £522

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 3                                         

 

Members may claim the same level of travel and subsistence allowance rates as officers. Please refer to

the Council's Pay Policy Statement for the rates.

 

In addition to this Substitutes attending a meeting on the mainland or the

representative appointed to the Board of Governors to the Cornwall NHS Foundation

Partnership Trust attending a meeting on the mainland in accordance with their duties

as the appointed representative, may claim a per diem allowance of £30 per day in

addition to any travel and subsistence allowances.

 

All travel allowances to be indexed to HMRC approved mileage rates.

All subsistence allowances to be indexed at the same rate as apply to officers.