Schedule D – Approved Duties

Appropriate allowances (Travel or Dependants' Carer's) may be claimed in accordance with the above details where such work has been undertaken in connection with one or more of the following 'Approved Duties':

1. The attendance in connection with the efficient conduct or discharge of duties for which a Special Responsibility Allowance is paid in accordance with this Scheme.

2. The attendance at a meeting of the Full Council or of any Council committee, sub-committee, task group, working group, steering group or board.

3. The attendance as the Council’s appointed representative at meetings of outside bodies or joint working arrangements, including any committees or sub-committees of such a body where allowances cannot be claimed directly from the body concerned.

4. The attendance at any other meeting, the holding of which is authorised by the Council, or a committee or sub-committee of the Council, or a joint committee, or the Council and one or more local authority within the meaning of section 270(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, or a sub-committee of such a joint committee provided that:

a) Where the authority is divided into two or more political groups it is a meeting to which members of at least two such groups have been invited; or

b) If the authority is not so divided, it is a meeting to which at least two members of the authority have been invited.

5. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 to 4, claims for travel can only be made in respect of attendance at meetings of a committee, sub-committee or other body of which the councillor claiming is a member or where the councillor is invited to attend by that body.

6. The attendance at a Cabinet meeting.

7. Meetings, official inspections and visits authorised by the Cabinet, a Cabinet Member (where a decision cannot await the next Cabinet meeting), a Council committee, sub-committee, task group, working group, steering group or board.

8. Conferences and seminars authorised by the Cabinet or where a decision cannot await the next Cabinet meeting by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Members' Allowance.

9. Authorised training events.

10. Attendance by councillors appointed by the Council and who are not principal office holders on the Local Government Association (LGA) at LGA meetings.

11. Public meetings concerning a Council service.

12. Any authorised official or courtesy visit on behalf the Council.

13. Any of the following authorised Council events in Lancashire:

a) Opening ceremonies

b) Open days

c) Receptions

d) Displays

e) Concerts

f) Demonstrations and presentations

g) Competitions

14. Meetings with other representatives of local authorities, government departments and Members of Parliament.

15. Joint Negotiating Councils.

16. Political group meetings that are held immediately prior to a Full Council meeting for the purpose of discussing council business.

17. Attendance at the Royal Garden Party.

18. The performance of any duty in pursuance of any Procurement Rule under section 135 of the Local Government Act 1972 requiring a Member or Members to be present while tender documents are opened.

19. The performance of any duty in connection with the discharge of any function of the Council conferred by or under any enactment and empowering or requiring the Authority to inspect or authorise the inspection of premises.

20. The performance of any duty in connection with arrangements made by the Council for the attendance of pupils at any school approved for the purposes of section 342 (approval of non-maintained special schools) of the Education Act 1996.

21. The carrying out of any duties as Chair and Vice-Chair of the County Council.

Attendance at any of the following are not authorised as an 'Approved Duty':

1. All other political group meetings other than those specified in paragraph 16 of the 'Approved Duties' section shown above.

2. Meetings with officers and constituents.

3. Member surgeries.

4. Attendance by members of the Council at meetings of committees or sub-committees of which they are not members, in accordance with Standing Order D13 [LINK].

5. Meetings of any outside body where allowances are paid by the body concerned. This shall include meetings of the Local Government Association where a councillor is a principal office holder or has been appointed by the Association or Assembly to attend in a representative role. Such councillors should claim directly from the Local Government Association.

6. Lancashire Combined Fire Authority and associated meetings. Members of this authority should claim directly from the Fire Authority.

7. Meetings of any outside body where a councillor has been appointed by a political party.