Members' allowances

In accordance with Regulation 9 of the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) Regulations 2001. Kingston upon Hull City Council hereby gives notice of the following allowances paid to members during 2005 - 2006.
Some members received Special Responsibility Allowances, which were included in their total allowances. All the allowances were subject to income tax deductions.

The Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2001 Scheme.
Remuneration allowances for Council Members of Kingston upon Hull City Council

In accordance with Regulation 9 of the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) Regulations 2001. Kingston upon Hull City Council hereby gives notice of the following travel and subsistence allowances paid to members during 2005 - 2006.
Some of the allowances may be subject to income tax deductions.

K Ryley
Chief Executive
Kingston upon Hull City Council
HU1 2AA

Know the facts

Your guide to members' allowances - plus how to get involved in local democracy

Basic allowance

All councillors claim a basic allowance. This is in recognition of the time they devote to serving the public in their wards; for example, in holding drop-in surgeries, campaigning on local issues and undertaking casework. The basic allowance also covers the cost of telephone calls, postage, office expenses and travel within the city.

Travel and subsistence claims

Councillors can also claim money for meals, including breakfast, dinner, and evening meals, while they are doing council work. They can also claim for travelling outside the city on council business; for example, to conferences and training courses.

Why do some councillors claim more than others?

In addition to the basic allowance, some councillors receive a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for extra duties.
For example, for being leader the SRA is three times the basic allowance, and for being deputy leader it is two-and-a-half times the basic allowance.
Cabinet members - that is, councillors who hold responsibility or "portfolios" for specific issues across the city, such as transport, environment, or children's services - also receive SRA ( at 2.25 times the basic rate). Councillors who hold the position of chair on a committee also receive SRA at 1.5 times the basic allowance. Deputy chairs of committees receive the basic allowance plus 10 per cent.

Committees

Many council decisions are discussed and decided in committees. Hull City Council has around 30 committees, each with a distinct purpose and area of influence.
They include the Planning Committee, which meets every month to consider large or complex planning applications, and the Licensing Committee, which deals with licences for things like taxis, street trading, gaming, lotteries and amusements.
There are also seven area committees, which bring faster decision making and greater openness to each of the local areas within the city (they are West, Wyke, Riverside, Northern, Park, East and North Carr).
All committees meet on a regular basis, and the public are welcome to attend in most cases.
And once a month, all councillors will meet at a Full Council meeting.
You can view these live through a webcast on the council website.
To find out more information about council committees, including dates, times and locations, visit the council and democracy section of the website at www.hullcc.gov.uk *. You can view agendas, reports and minutes of meetings here also.

Get involved: make your voice heard

Members of the public can also speak at Full Council, Area Committee and Planning Committee meetings, to ask a question or give an opinion on a certain issue (a planning application, for example). To do this, you will usually need to give prior notice in writing.
Hull City Council is committed to providing people with the chance to express their views and to know that those views are listened to and respected. There are three main ways in which you can have your say on local matters. Firstly, councillors' surgeries are held at least once a month in every ward in the city. Secondly, you can meet your councillors through area committees, and thirdly, smaller ward or neighbourhood forums have also been set up to enable issues to be discussed at grass-roots level. If you are unable to make any of these meetings, you can also contact your local councillor by email or telephone.

Ward forums

Ward forums provide you with an opportunity to have a say in what happens in your area and influence decisions. Anyone can attend. They are informal meetings, where you can talk directly to your councillor and express your views about council services. You may also raise issues that are important to the local community, share ideas on how to improve the area where you live, hear and talk about new council policies for the area, and get feedback on actions from previous meetings.
When appropriate, representatives from other organisations such as the police and the fire service, and other guest speakers, also attend ward forums.
To find out ward forum dates and times in your area, contact 300300.