The Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003

Publicity

16.—(1) An authority shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the making or amendment of a scheme, make arrangements for its publication by—

(a) ensuring that copies of the scheme are available for inspection by members of the public at the principal office of the authority, at all reasonable hours; and

(b) publishing in one or more newspapers circulating in its area, a notice which—

(i) states that the authority has made or amended a scheme and specifies the period of time for which the scheme has effect;

(ii) describes the main features of the scheme and specifies the amounts payable in respect of each allowance mentioned in the scheme;

(iii) describes any responsibilities or duties specified in the scheme in accordance with regulations 5(1) and 8(1) in relation to special responsibility allowance and travelling and subsistence allowance;

(iv) confirms that in making or amending the scheme, the authority complied with any duty arising under regulation 19 to have regard to the recommendations of an independent remuneration panel;

(v) describes the main features of that panel’s recommendations and specifies the recommended amounts of each allowance mentioned in its report for that authority;

(vi) states that copies of the scheme and copies of a record kept in accordance with regulation 15(1) and (2) are available at the principal office of the authority for inspection by members of the public at such times as may be specified by the authority in the notice; and

(vii) specifies the address of the principal office of the authority at which such copies are made available.

(2) An authority shall ensure that a notice in the form required under sub-paragraph (b) is published in one or more newspapers circulating in its area as soon as possible after the expiration of twelve months after the previous publication of such a notice, irrespective of whether the scheme has been amended during that twelve month period.

(3) An authority shall supply a copy of the scheme to any person who requests a copy and who pays to the authority such reasonable fee as the authority may determine.