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TONBRIDGE AND MALLING BOROUGH COUNCIL SCHEME OF MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES
What is happening?
TONBRIDGE AND MALLING BOROUGH COUNCIL
SCHEME OF MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES
Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003
The current Scheme of Members’ Allowances was adopted by the Council on 11 July 2023 following consideration of recommendations of an Independent Remuneration Panel. The Scheme provides for the indexation of basic and special responsibility allowances in line with any staff pay award and the
relevant allowances with effect from 1 April 2026 are set out below:
| Panel Recommendations 2023/24 £ |
Resolved Allowances 2026/27(4) £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| Basic Allowance to all Councillors | 5,175 | 5,815 |
| Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA): | ||
| Leader | 20,706 | 23,267 |
| Deputy Leader | 10,353 | 17,488 |
| Opposition Group Leader(s): | ||
| • Liberal Democrat | 4,401# | 4,945# |
| • Independent Alliance Kent | N/A | 4,945# |
| • The Green Party | 4,401# | 4,945# |
| • The Labour Party | N/A | 4,945# |
| # Fixed lump sum | ||
| Cabinet Member | 8,802 | 9,891 |
| Chair: | ||
| Overview & Scrutiny Committee | 2,589 | 2,909 |
| Joint Standards Committee | 2,589 | 2,909 |
| Licensing & Appeals Committee | 2,589 | 2,909 |
| General Purposes Committee | 1,725 | 1,938 |
| Audit Committee | 2,589 | 2,909 |
| Panel Recommendations 2023 £ |
Resolved Allowances 2026/27(4) £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| *Area Planning Committees x 3 | 1,725 | - |
| *Planning Committee | n/a | 1,938 |
| Programmed Scrutiny Select Committee x 3 | 2,589 | 2,909 |
| Vice Chair: | ||
| Overview & Scrutiny Committee x 2 | 0 | 727 |
| Joint Standards Committee | 0 | 727 |
| Licensing & Appeals Committee | 0 | 727 |
| General Purposes Committee | 0 | 484 |
| Audit Committee | 0 | 727 |
| *Area Planning Committees x 3 | 0 | - |
| *Planning Committee | n/a | 484 |
| Programmed Scrutiny Select Committee x 3 | 0 | 727 |
# Opposition Group Leader allowance made up of £4,401 fixed lump sum. To qualify, neither the leader
of an opposition group nor any members of the opposition leader’s group can serve on Cabinet. The
Opposition Group Leaders are eligible to receive a maximum of 1 Special Responsibility Allowance in
addition to their group leader’s allowance.
The Panel also recommended that:
(1) Childcare and Dependent Carers allowances be set at a maximum of £10.42 per hour and £18 per
hour respectively.
(2) Mileage allowances be set at HMRC rates.
(3) Scheme for meal and/or subsistence allowances ceased with effect from 11 July 2023.
(4) Principle of annual indexation of allowances, including allowances for Mayor and Deputy Mayor, in
line with the staff pay award be retained.
(5) Individual members should not receive more than one Special Responsibility Allowance, excluding
Opposition Group Leaders.
(6) Individual members may choose not to accept any increase in allowance in line with the staff pay
award.
(7) The Independent Remuneration Panel’s report is available for inspection by members of the public
on the Council’s website at www.tmbc.gov.uk or during normal office hours at the Council’s principal
office at Gibson Building, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4LZ.
*Area Planning Committees were abolished and a Planning Committee established in May 2026.
Damian Roberts
Chief Executive
July 2026
How long will it take?
Planned start
30-Jul-2026
Estimated end
27-Aug-2026
Open to feedback
From
30-Jul-2026
To
27-Aug-2026
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