Travelling Expenses
Normally Members are expected to travel by bus or standard class rail. Claims for car allowances will therefore only be paid where there is no suitable alternative public transport available or there are special circumstances.
Standard class travel should be booked in advance for all rail travel on behalf of all members, unless in the view of the Clerk there are special circumstances that require First Class travel, for example to enable confidential conferences to be held on the train or to avoid disadvantaging members when travelling with other organisations.
Motor cars rates
| Up to 999cc | 42.9 p per mile |
| 1000 to 1199cc | 46.9 p per mile |
| Exceeding 1200cc | 58.7 p per mile |
Cycle rate
20p per mile
To reduce costs to the Authority, Members should not travel independently where it would be possible to travel with another Member or Officer.
No reimbursement will be made for the carrying of passengers. Members may claim specific reimbursement for expenditure incurred on tolls, ferries or parking fees as these are deemed to be additional to the basic car allowance rates.
In rare circumstances it is not possible to utilise public transport and a taxi has to be used. In such circumstances members must obtain receipts before reimbursement will be available.
Subsistence Allowances
In each instance only the actual cost incurred may be claimed with the following being the maximum rates claimable:
Day Subsistence Rates
| Breakfast allowance (more than 2 hours away from normal residence, before 1100) | £6.74 |
| Lunch allowance (more than 2 hours away from normal residence, between 1200 and 1400) | £9.17 |
| Tea allowance (more than 2 hours away from normal residence, between 1500 and 1800) | £3.69 |
| Evening meal allowance (more than 2 hours away from normal residence, after 1900) | £11.47 |
Overnight subsistence
| Absence overnight from usual place of residence | £95.82 |
| Absence in London | £109.29 |
These rates do not accord with Officer rates and are subject in exceptional circumstances to variation in agreement with the Clerk. However, in normal circumstances all overnight accommodation should be booked through the Authority’s office who will seek out the most reasonably priced accommodation available to be paid for directly by the Authority thus avoiding any claims for reimbursement.
Meals provided free of charge
Members are required to deduct an appropriate amount from the subsistence allowances in respect of any meals provided free of charge by an authority or body during the period to which the allowance relates. The allowance cannot therefore be claimed where a free meal has been provided.
Meals taken on trains
Where main meals are taken on trains during the period for which there is an entitlement to a subsistence allowance the reasonable cost of meals (including VAT) shall be reimbursable in full. This will then replace the specific meal allowances set out above.
Note: In the case of travel abroad there are sometimes difficulties in obtaining receipts. However, for the reasons given above reimbursement will only be available where receipts are provided.
