Councillor allowances

Find out how much councillors are paid, and how the allowances procedure is overseen.

The full scheme forms part of the council’s constitution. Copies of the record of payments made under the members allowance scheme are available below. They are also available for inspection at County Hall in Northallerton, during office hours.

Basic allowance

The basic allowance for all members of the council is £15,550.

Allowances in detail

Special responsibility allowances

Special responsibility allowances are paid to certain members of the council as follows:

Position Allowance
Chair of the council £12,142
Vice chair of the council £4,027
Leader of the council £39,654
Deputy leader of the council £21,165
Executive members £19,554
Chair of the health overview and scrutiny committee £11,052
Chairs of other overview and scrutiny committees £5,526
Vice chairs of overview and scrutiny committees £1,842
Chair of the pension fund committee £5,526
Chairs of area constituency committees £5,526
Chair of the appeals committee £5,526
Vice chair of the appeals committee £921
Chair of audit committee £4,769
Chair of the strategic planning committee £6,971
Vice chair of the strategic planning committee £2,141
Chair of the general licensing and registration committee £3,391
Vice chair of the general licensing and registration committee £1,842
Chair of the standards and governance committee £4,421
Chairs of the area constituency planning committees £3,815
Vice chairs of the area constituency planning committees £1,456
Chair of the statutory licensing committee £3,500
Vice chair of the statutory licensing committee £1,842
Champions for young people, older people and climate change £1,842
Chairs of the statutory licensing sub committees (per meeting) £250
Chairs of the general licensing and registration sub committees (per meeting) £250
Leaders of political groups, where the group is the second largest eligible party in group membership £6,821
Leaders of political groups, where the group is the third largest eligible party in group membership £3,527
Secretaries of political groups, where the group is the largest party in group membership £2,763
Secretaries of political groups, where the group is the second largest eligible party in group membership £1,842
Secretaries of political groups, where the group is the third largest eligible party in group membership £921

The minimum group size to be eligible for an allowance is nine members.

Other Allowances Allowance
Independent persons for standards £921
Independent Chairman of the pension board £3,120
Chairman of the police, fire and crime panel £9,210
Vice-chairs of the police, fire and crime panel £3,684
Members of the police, fire and crime panel £1,842
Community co-opted members of the police, fire and crime panel £1,842

Travel and subsistence allowance

Travel and subsistence allowance is paid to members as follows, in respect of approved duties. Details of these duties are included in the full members allowance scheme, which forms part of the constitution. The scheme aligns the rates to those payable to council officers. Should officer rates be reviewed during the year, any change will be reflected in the rates payable to members from the operative date of the review.

Car allowances

  • up to 10,000 miles per annum - 45p per mile
  • additional miles in excess of 10,000 per annum - 25p per mile

Rail and air travel

Reimbursed at cost.

Subsistence allowances

Actual expenditure up to a maximum of:

  • breakfast - £6.50
  • lunch - £6.50
  • tea - £3.50
  • evening meal - £11
  • overnight - £76.50
  • overnight (London) - £110

Independent remuneration panel

The independent remuneration panel consists of three members. The panel makes recommendations and provides advice to the county council about its members’ allowances scheme. Before the council makes or amends its members’ allowances scheme it must have regard to, and publicise, the panel’s recommendations.

The independent remuneration panel has published the following documents:

If you are interested in becoming a member of the panel, please contact our democratic services team.