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.
Members are offered the opportunity of having a MetroCard and any members that take up the offer are unable to submit expense claims for travel within the county on public transport.
Motor cars rates
| Up to 999cc | 46.9 p per mile |
| 1000 to 1199cc | 52.2 p per mile |
| Exceeding 1200cc | 65.0 p per mile |
Passenger Rates
Where a member carries a passenger they can calim the HMRC approved passenger mileage rate of 5p per passenger mile, in addition to the applicable mileage rates for motor cars.
Motor Cycle Mileage Rates
24p per mile (indexed to HM Revenue and Customs approved rates).
Bicycle Mileage Rate
20p per mile
General Travel Expenses
To reduce costs to the Authority, Members should not travel independently where it would be possible to travel with another Member or Officer.
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 | £7.00 |
| Lunch allowance | £9.53 |
| Tea allowance | £3.84 |
| Evening meal allowance | £11.92 |
Note: The current total daily maximum subsistence claimable (£32.29) should not be disaggregated and applied to specific meals but a 24 hour maximum claimable to be spent upon subsistence as required.
Overnight subsistence
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.
Overseas Travel
Members are entitled to claim reasonable expenses in relation to their journey and stay, reimbursable upon production of receipts.
It is expected that the necessary travel and accommodation arrangements would be booked through the Authority's office.
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.
Indexation
The following indexes are applicable:-
Basic, SRA and Co-optees' Allowances - annual percentage increase applied to Passenger Transport Executive staff nationally.
Travel
- Car Mileage - maximum rates applicable to Passenger Transport Forum for Non-Manual Employees of Passenger Transport Executives.
- Motor Cycle, Bicycle and Passenger Supplement rates - the maximum rates as approved by the HMRC.
- Day and Night Subsistence rates - maximum rates applicable to Passenger Transport Forum for Non-Manual Employees of Passenger Transport Executives.
