Allowances and expenses
Some details of councillor allowances and expenses are published each year by law. Below I set out all my councillor allowance claims in full for the period from when I was elected (May 2007) to the end of the 2009/2010 year.
I believe I was the first elected politician in Leicester to publish all my allowance claims in this way, including amongst councillors and the city’s MPs, when I published full details of all my allowance claims in May 2009.
Rory Palmer
Basic allowance
This is the allowance paid to all councillors.
The figures shown are before tax and National Insurance deductions.
This allowance is taxed and National Insurance deductions are taken.
|
Year
|
2007/2008
|
2008/2009
|
2009/2010
|
|
Amount
|
£9,437
|
£9,722.64
|
£9,732.00
|
Travel within the city of Leicester
This allowance is paid to all councillors automatically and meets the cost of travel within the city boundary.
|
Year
|
2007/2008
|
2008/2009
|
2009/2010
|
|
Amount
|
£1,139.32
|
£1,191.62
|
£1,193.00
|
Special responsibility allowance
Some councillors receive a special responsibility allowance in addition to the basic allowance for carrying out additional responsibilities, such as being a member of the Cabinet or chairing a committee.
The figure shown is before tax; like the basic allowance this allowance has tax deducted.
In years 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 I received no special responsibility allowances.
In 2009/2010 I received a special responsibility allowance following my appointment as a member of the City Council Cabinet (as Cabinet Member for Adults and Older People).
|
Year
|
2007/2008
|
2008/2009
|
2009/2010
|
|
Amount
|
£0
|
£0
|
£14,548.00
|
Members’ Support Package
Each councillor has the use of a financial support package to assist them with equipment and costs necessary to carry out their role.
All equipment purchased using the support package remains the property of the City Council and is to be handed back when a councillor leaves office.
This allowance is held by the Council (it is not paid to councillors as a financial sum) and all purchases must be approved in line with an agreed policy.
The support package available to a councillor in their first year of office is £1,606 and £801 per year for years two to four of a councillor’s four year term of office.
|
|
2007/2008
|
2008/2009
|
2009/2010
|
|
|
Council mobile phone costs (1): £42.30
Purchase of shredder (2): £90.00
Municipal Journal subscription (3): £49.00
Printer cartridges (4): £56.98
Council mobile phone contract buy-out: £68.00
Purchase of Blackberry: £60.00
IT package (5): £265.73
|
Council mobile phone/Blackberry costs: £83.10
Printer cartridges: £52.86
Replacement cryptag security pass: £12.00
|
Council mobile phone/Blackberry costs: £293.12
|
|
Total spent from this allowance
|
£632.01
|
£147.96
|
£293.12
|
Explanatory notes
(1) Councillors can use this allowance to meet the costs of a mobile phone or Blackberry for council use. I initially claimed for a council mobile and then upgraded to a Blackberry to enable me to access council e-mails, including from my constituents, whilst away from the office.
(2) I used the allowance to purchase a paper shredder to enable me to properly dispose of confidential paperwork.
(3) I used the allowance to purchase a reduced price subscription to the Municipal Journal, a journal with news on policy and developments affecting councils and local government.
(4) I have claimed for the purchase of printer cartridges for printing council papers and casework correspondence to my constituents on my own printer at home.
(5) I have computer equipment purchased using this allowance to support me in my work as a councillor.
This allowance can be used to claim the costs of a home broadband internet connection for council use. I do not claim for this, I use the internet at home for council use which is paid for personally.
Other expenses
Councillors can claim travel and subsistence expenses for meetings and events outside Leicester where the events are relevant to a councillor’s role and responsibilities.
|
2007/2008
|
2008/2009
|
2009/2010
|
|
Nov 2007: £24.46
Car mileage for journey to Warwick University and back to attend an IDeA Leadership Academy course (held over three weekends).
Nov 2007: £24.46
As above.
Feb 2008: £49.00
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-London for a meeting with Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government.
|
October 2008:
I attended a meeting in Brussels to speak on behalf of the City Council and the East Midlands region on Leicester’s work on climate change. I was asked to do this deputising for the Council Leader and relevant Cabinet member.
As part of the same trip I attended a Board meeting of Energie-Cities, a European network of which Leicester is a member.
Standard class return Eurostar fare London-Brussels: £129.00
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-London: £46.80
Hotel costs were met by the European Office.
Brussels Metro card and apportioned cost of meals: €33.15
March 2009: £14.10
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-Birmingham for an IDeA training event on new local powers for councillors.
|
July 2009: £633.00
Attendance at the Local Government Annual Conference in Harrogate. This amount includes standard class return rail fare Leicester-Harrogate; delegate fee and bed and breakfast hotel accommodation.
Nov 2009: £121.20
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-London for Leadership Centre for Local Government Next Generation training and development programme.
Dec 2009: £121.20
As above.
Feb 2010: £38.10
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-Manchester for Leadership Centre for Local Government Next Generation training and development programme.
Feb 2010: £47.80
Standard class return rail fare Leicester-London for Leadership Centre for Local Government Next Generation training and development programme.
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Under the Council’s policy it is possible to claim for food and drink whilst away from Leicester on council business. It is my own policy not to do this for meetings and events, including overnight stays, in the UK.
I will publish full details of my allowances for the current year 2010/2011 in the near future.
Leicester City Council’s Members’ Allowance scheme in full can be found at:
Members' Allowance Scheme
http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council-services/council-and-democracy/local-democracy/members-allowance-scheme/
