South Dublin County Council has now published on its website the following details:
Register of payments made as provided for in the Local Government Act 2001 to Councillors for the period 2014 to 2017 inclusive and the Register of Individual attendance records at Council Meetings for all Councillors.
These registers include details of the following:
- Annual Representational Payment (Salary) which is subject to tax and statutory deductions.
- The Annual Allowance which is primarily in respect of expenses incurred through attendance at Council meetings. It is made up of three elements: travel to and from meetings, subsistence, postage and miscellaneous expenses incurred in their representational role. The amending regulations (S.I. No. 494 of 2017) provided for the introduction of a new vouched expenses allowance that elected members may choose to opt for in place of the existing fixed annual rate for miscellaneous expenses. There are attendance thresholds in place which determine the amount due to each Councillor.
- Payments in respect of travel and subsistence expenses incurred through attendance at conferences/seminars etc.
Attendance Registers
- This outlines details of Individual attendance records at Council Meetings for all Councillors.
When examining these details the following should be taken into consideration:
- The Mayor /Deputy Mayor’s Allowance: The Local Government Act provides that a Local Authority can pay an allowance for reasonable expenses to its Mayor and Deputy Mayor for their term of office; these payments are subject to statutory deductions. Please note the term of office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor straddles two calendar years as they are elected at the annual meeting held at the end of June each year.
- The Strategic Policy Committee Chair Allowance is to cover all expenses relating to the position, including meetings of the Corporate Policy Group (High Level Strategic Group of the Council which meets a minimum of 12 times per year, compromising of the Mayor, Chief Executive and SPC Chairs), meetings with Local Authority Officials and /or meetings with external groups.
