Council members’ expenses made public

last updated:15 Jul 2010

The GTC has published details of Council members’ expenses for the first time.

A motion was put forward to Council in July 2009 to make Council member expenses available to the public, in order to conform to best practice in the public sector. Council agreed the format of the disclosure at their meeting in January 2010.

Members’ expenses for the 2009-10 financial year have now been published, allowing enough time for the full details to be compiled under the provisions of the expenses scheme.

Employers of Council members are entitled to receive reimbursement for the absence of an employee for the times when members are actually travelling to and from, and taking part in, ‘approved Council duties’. These include, for example, meetings of the Council and its committees and required attendance at regulatory hearings.

Members who are retired or supply teachers (or equivalent) and are not paid by an employer on that day are entitled to receive a personal attendance allowance at the same rate, paid net of income tax.

The subsistence, hotel accommodation and travel costs incurred by Council members on Council business are also included in the disclosure.