Travelling and subsistence

Allowances and amounts as set out below shall be paid to members in respect of travelling and subsistence, including an allowance in respect of travelling by bicycle, undertaken in connection with such duties as may fall within the categories prescribed in Regulation 8(1). Receipts in respect of actual expenditure shall be produced where appropriate.

Travelling Expenses

Payable for approved duties inside or outside the Borough:-

1. Public Transport (reimbursement of cost)

2. Members' own private vehicles:-

Motor car (or tricar) - 35.0p per mile

These rates shall be increased:-

• for each passenger carried (not exceeding 4) who would otherwise have been paid a travelling allowance:-

1.0p per mile where any other rate is payable; and

• by the amount of any expenditure on tolls or parking fees.

3. Taxis - the rate of travel by taxi-cab or cab shall not exceed:-

• in cases of urgency or where no public transport is reasonably available, the amount of the actual fare and any reasonable gratuity paid; and
• in any other case, the amount of the fare for travel by appropriate public transport.

4. As a general rule, for journeys outside the Borough, where public transport is a reasonable alternative to the use of a car.

5. Expenses can be claimed for travelling to enable the undertaking of anyapproved duty from anywhere in the United Kingdom on the basis that the first 75 miles will be paid at the 35.0p per mile and all subsequent miles at the rate of 14.0p per mile.

Bicycle Allowance

There is available to members a monthly allowance of £11.52 if, during the month in question, the member used a bicycle to carry out a duty approved by the Council or a duty otherwise falling within the categories prescribed in Regulation 8(1) on at least three separate occasions.

Subsistence Expenses

Payable on production of receipts and in respect of ACTUAL EXPENDITURE incurred for approved duties:-

1. The rate of subsistence allowance shall not exceed:

(a) in the case of an absence, not involving an absence overnight, from the usual place of residence;

• of more than 4 hours, before 11am, (breakfast allowance), £5.46;
• of more than 4 hours, including the period between 12 noon and 2 pm, (lunch allowance), £7.46;
• of more than 4 hours, including the period 3 pm to 6 pm, (tea allowance), £2.98; and
• of more than 4 hours, ending after 7 pm, (evening meal allowance), £9.32.

(b) in the case of an absence overnight from the usual place of residence £75.11 and for such an absence overnight in London, or for the purposes of attendance at an annual conference (including or not including an annual meeting) of the Local Government Association or such other association or bodies as the Secretaries of State may for the time being approve of the purpose, £85.66.

For the purposes of this paragraph, London means the City of London and the London boroughs of Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.

• Any rate determined under paragraph 1 (b) above shall be deemed to cover a continuous period of absence of 24 hours.
• The rates specified above shall be reduced by an appropriate amount in respect of any meal provided free of charge by an authority or body in respect of the meal or the period to which the allowance relates.
• The attention of members is drawn to declaration (b) on the claim form, to the effect that entitlement to subsistence allowance can only arise to the extent that actual expenditure has been incurred, and that the sums shown on the previous page are maxima - i.e. only actual expenditure incurred can be reclaimed and any expenses in excess of those shown on the previous page CANNOT be reclaimed.

Meals on Trains

Where main meals (i.e. breakfast, lunch or dinner) are taken on trains during a period for which there is an entitlement to a day subsistence allowance, the reasonable cost of the meals (including VAT), may be reimbursed in full on production of the appropriate receipt, within the limits specified below. In such circumstances, reimbursement for the reasonable cost of a meal would replace the entitlement to the day subsistence allowance for the appropriate meal period.

The limitations on reimbursement are:-

• for breakfast, an absence of more than 4 hours, or where the authority permits, a lesser period, before 11am;
• for lunch, an absence of more than 4 hours, or where the authority permits, a lesser period, including the period between 12 noon and 2 pm; and
• for dinner, an absence of more than 4 hours, or where the authority permits, a lesser period, ending after 7 pm.

Members Surgeries

Members are entitled to claim reimbursement for surgery accommodation to enable them to perform approved duties as a Member of Woking Borough Council.