School Governor allowances and expenses

Background

The Department considers that governors should not be out of pocket and should be able to claim allowances for legitimate expenses incurred in carrying out their duties. The allowances paid should relate to actual costs incurred, apart from mileage costs where any payment should not exceed authorised Inland Revenue mileage allowances. However, attendance allowance and payments for loss of earnings may not be paid.

Allowances may be paid to governors and associate members of the governing bodies by the governing bodies of maintained schools that have delegated budgets. The LA may pay allowances to governors of a maintained school that does not have a delegated budget and to persons appointed to represent the LA at an institution providing higher or further education, or on the governing body of an independent school or non-maintained special school.

Travel expenses must be paid at a rate not exceeding the maximum level of the Inland Revenue authorised mileage rate. Other governors' expenses must be paid on provision of a receipt at a rate determined by the governing body, and will be limited to the amount shown on the receipt.

Guidance

Paying allowances to school governors (from September 2003) was sent to COGs, diocese and LAs in May 2003 and was revised in August 2003 due to two minor amendments and again in October 2003 when minor changes were made to the document with regard to the payment of authorised mileage rates. This leaflet is available to download.
The HM Revenue and Collection website provides information on current Inland Revenue mileage rates for private use of cars.

Good practice

The National Governors Association (NGA) has produced the Good Practice Guide in Developing an Allowances Policy for Governing Bodies 2005. This document contains recommendations from the NGA as well as a model allowances policy. Visit their website for further information.

The law

The Education (Governors' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 were laid before Parliament on 12 March 2003 and came into force on 1 September 2003, revoking the Education (Governors' Allowances) (England) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/0703) from that date. Visit the Legislation.gov.uk website to view these regulations.




http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/g/paying%20allowances%20to%20governors%20%20%20october%202003.pdf