Nelson City Council

Councillor's expenses

The Council’s expenses policy for elected members, as approved by the Remuneration Authority, follows:

General Principle

That no Councillor should be out of pocket in the course of performing their duty. The Council reimburses actual and reasonable costs. Expenditures must relate to items in the Expenses Policy and full receipts are always required.

Transport

Mileage

Mileage payments are made for meetings and civic events which Councillors are required to attend. Currently 70 cents per km.

Carparks

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are provided with carparks and can be used between the hours of 6:00am and approximately 7:30pm during the working week and until approximately 1:00pm on Saturday.

Councillors are provided with a parking permit which entitles them to park in any carpark at no cost while attending to Council business. The passes are issued annually.

Conferences / Seminars and Training

If attendance is approved by Council or committee resolution, then registration, travel, accommodation and expenses will be covered by the Council.

Travel away

• Travel costs when attending conferences (for example, flights, mileage, taxis or transfers, or rental car as appropriate) are reimbursed upon presentation of receipts
• Councillors who decide to travel significant distances by road instead of by air (for example, to Christchurch), will receive cost reimbursement at the level of the cheapest available flight, rather than the kilometre reimbursement.

Accommodation

• Actual and reasonable costs for accommodation when attending out of town conferences are reimbursed

Food

• Meals when attending out of town conference, meetings or training and meals for meetings held in Nelson are reimbursed.
• For meetings which continue through normal meal times, the Council will normally provide lunch or dinner as appropriate.

Entertainment and hospitality

Allowances are not payable but expenses will be reimbursed upon actual and reasonable receipts being presented and having been given prior approval by the Chief Executive, Council, or appropriate Standing Committee.

Communications and technology

Fax machine

The Council provides fax machines for Councillors. These remain in the ownership of the Council, but are provided free of charge with all service charges met by the Council.

Fair and reasonable use of consumables and stationery for faxes is provided.

Telephone

The Council pays for the installation and ongoing costs of automatic distinciton between fax and phone calls for some Councillors. No telephone call expenses are reimbursed.

Miscellaneous

Council does not currently provide computers to Councillors, and most Councillors provide their own computers. In recognition of the cost of printing Council reports and correspondence, a payment of up to $50 per month is made to Councillors for computer consumables and other communications costs.

Professional development, clubs and associations

If attendance is approved by the Council, or relevant Standing Committee resolution, then registration, travel, accommodation and expenses will be covered by the Council in respect of members' attendance at professional development courses, conferences, or seminars.

No reimbursement is paid in respect of subscriptions to clubs or associations.

Taxation of allowances

No allowances (as distinct from reimbursements of actual business expenses) are paid without the deduction of withholding tax.  

Code of Conduct for Councillors

The Code of Conduct sets out principles of good conduct and standards of behaviour for the elected members and also the relationship between the elected members and the public. Councillors have agreed to abide by these principles and standards when carrying out their roles and functions as elected community representatives.

Download the Code of Conduct (44KB PDF)

Monthly credit card statements for Mayor and Chief Executive

Download the Mayor's credit card statement from 27 July 2010 (174KB PDF).

Download the Chief Executive's credit card statement from 27 July 2010 (190KB PDF).

Download the credit card statements from 27 May 2010. (239KB PDF)