Members
Chapter 53: Members’ allowances scheme
Section 53.1: This Scheme is made by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended.
This Scheme shall be called The London Borough of Tower Hamlets Members’ Allowances Scheme 2025 and it shall come into effect on 1 April 2025. The Scheme shall apply to the Mayor, Councillors and Co-opted Members of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Section 53.2: Basic Allowance
Subject to paragraph 8, a basic allowance of £11,898 shall be paid to each Councillor for each year. The Basic Allowance shall not be payable to the elected Mayor.
The basic allowance of £11,898 shall be payable with effect from 1 April 2025.
Section 53.3: Special Responsibility Allowance
Subject to paragraphs 5-8, a special responsibility allowance shall be paid for each year to those Members who hold a position of special responsibility as specified in Schedule 1.
The amount of each such allowance shall be the amount specified against the respective special responsibility in Schedule 1 and it shall be payable with effect from 1 April 2025.
Any special responsibility allowance payable under paragraphs 4 and 5 shall be in addition to the basic allowance payable under paragraph 2 above.
Any Member who holds more than one position of special responsibility shall receive only one special responsibility allowance which shall be at the higher level.
Section 53.4: Part-Year Entitlement
If, in the course of the year, this scheme is amended or a Member’s entitlement changes, the relevant basic and/or special responsibility allowance shall be calculated and paid pro-rata during the particular month in which the scheme amendment or entitlement change occurs.
Section 53.5: Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance
A maximum of £13.85 per hour shall be paid to those Members who necessarily incur expense in arranging for the care of their children or other dependants to enable them to undertake any of the activities specified in Schedule 2 to this Scheme.
The following conditions shall apply:
• payments shall be claimable for children aged 15 or under or for other dependants where there is medical or social work evidence that care is required;
• only one weekly payment shall be claimable for the household of each Member, unless the Council’s Standards Advisory Committee considers there are special circumstances;
• the allowance shall be paid as a re-imbursement of incurred expenditure against receipts;
• the allowance shall not be payable to a member of the claimant’s own household;
• any dispute as to entitlement and any allegation of abuse shall be referred to the Council’s Standards Advisory Committee for adjudication.
Section 53.6: Indexation
The Basic, Special Responsibility, Mayor’s and Dependants’ Carers’ Allowances will be adjusted to reflect the annual pay settlement for local government staff effective 1 April 2025. The Dependents’ Carers’ Allowance will also be adjusted to, as a minimum, be in line with the London Living Wage.