Annual Increase in Allowances For Members of Fire Authorities

The payment of allowances to members of Fire and Rescue authorities is governed by the Local Authorities (Allowances for Members of Fire Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2004. The regulations enable authorities from the year commencing 1st April 2005 to make an annual adjustment to allowances payable under their schemes, such adjustment being restricted to the average of any adjustments made by the Authority’s constituent councils. The constituent authorities have been advised by the Welsh Assembly Government of the maximum annual increases to their allowances effective from 1st April 2005 as follows :

Special Responsibility Allowances 2.8%
Basic Allowances 5.4%
Care Allowances 5.4%

The constituent authorities have all confirmed that they will be applying the maximum increases noted above. Applying the above rates, the Allowances for Fire & Rescue Authority members for 2005/06 will be as follows:

Fire & Rescue Authority Allowance £1,056
Chair’s Allowance £9,363
Vice Chair’s Allowance £7,196
Care Allowances (Max. amounts):
> Chair £1,416
> Vice Chair £1,106
> Other Members £ 385

Members have previously been notified of the reduction in travelling rates for 2005/06 from 45p to 40p per mile, which is linked to that payable to Assembly Members. Whilst travelling rates payable by constituent authorities are similarly linked to those of Assembly Members, the level of travelling payable by constituent authorities for 2005/06 ranges from 40p to 50.1p per mile. Constituent authorities were able to freeze their rates at the level prevailing prior to the new arrangements coming into place and until such time those payable to Assembly Members caught up.