Town Councillors set to vote on setting an attendance allowance for meetings

At the next meeting of Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council, town councillors are set to discuss the details around an attendance allowance - a newly introduced scheme across Wales.

At their last meeting, held in May, town councillors voted to introduce an attendance allowance, which is capped by law across Wales at £30 per meeting.

The report, prepared by the town council's finance officer, asks town councillors to decide between two options (or propose an alternative):

1. Introduce an attendance allowance for full council meetings at £30 per councillor
2. Introduce an attendance allowance full council and committee meetings at £12 per councillor

With approximately 11 full council meetings a year and approximately 12 meetings per committee, town councillors who are on the maximum allowed, three committees, would receive roughly £528 extra per year. Option 1 would result in town councillors receiving roughly £330 extra per year. This is on top of the town councillors yearly allowance which is set by law at £150.

The reason for the introduction of the attendance allowance is described as "ensure that financial circumstances should not prevent participation or be a disincentive to being able to participate in the local democractic process."

If approved, individual town councillors can opt out of the scheme in part of all of the payments by writing to the town council's chief officer.