Tynwald to vote on bill to increase allowance for local authorities

Local authorities will have greater freedom to determine their attendance allowance rates if Tynwald approves a new order.

The bill has been devised following concerns raised by some authorities that existing rates were too low for the amount of time they had to spend in meetings, away from their primary jobs.

To counter this a new daytime rate of £12.50 per hour has been proposed, with a cap at £50.

Night time sessions will remain capped at £30, with an hourly rate of £7.50 proposed to help reduce costs.

The maximum claim for those who only attend evening meetings is to remain at £3600, with £6,000 for those who attend a mix of sessions.

If the changes are approved they will come into effect from 1st April, 2014.