 Members of Breckland Council are entitled to receive certain allowances. These are:-
1. A basic, flat rate allowance, payable to all Members. The rate for 2010/11 is £5,200 per annum. This allowance is intended to recognise the time commitment of all Members, including such calls on their time as meetings with officers and constituents and attendance at political group meetings.
2. Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) are payable to Members who have significant additional responsibilities, over and above the generally accepted duties of a Member. The SRAs payable in Breckland Council and the level of those SRAs are set out in detail in the Members Allowances Scheme.
3. A Dependent Carers’ Allowance is payable towards the cost of care for dependent relatives. The amounts payable must reflect the actual cost incurred in employing a carer to enable the Member to carry out their council duties. The rates payable are set out in the Scheme.
4. Travelling and subsistence allowances are payable to Members to re-imburse them for costs incurred in carrying out certain council duties. These duties are known as ‘approved duties’ and full details are set out in the Scheme. Typical examples are:-
- Attending meetings of the full Council and of committees to which Members have been appointed
- Attending meetings of outside bodies to which Members have been appointed to represent the Council
The Scheme of Members’ Allowances is approved by the Council but before it approves any changes to the Scheme, the Council is required by law to have regard to the views and recommendations of an Independent Remuneration Panel, made up of non-district Councillors.
Each year, the Council is required to publish in the local press details of the allowances paid to each Member during the previous financial year. The Council has decided to extend this by publishing those details on its website. The allowances paid during recent years can be viewed by clicking on the links below:-
Statement of allowances and expenses paid to Members in the financial year 2008/09
Statement of allowances and expenses paid to Members in the financial year 2009/10: membersallowancepublish2009-10.doc
| 
