NORTHERN IRELAND COLLEGE EMPLOYERS’ FORUM

CIRCULAR NO: CEF 2011/01

1 April 2011

To:	Joint Secretaries, Lecturers’ Negotiating Committee
Directors/Principals and Chairpersons of Governing Bodies of Colleges of Further Education
HR Managers of Colleges of Further Education
Department for Employment and Learning
UCU
NASUWT

FURTHER EDUCATION LECTURERS’ NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

Employee Travelling & Subsistence Allowances Scheme

In accordance with the provisions of Article 11, Schedule 3, paragraph 10.3 of the Further Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, the Constitution for Negotiating the Terms, Conditions of Service and Remuneration of Lecturers’ Employed in Colleges of Further Education, it has been determined that the Employee Travelling & Subsistence Allowances Scheme has been agreed at the Lecturers’ Negotiating Committee on 31 March 2011 and will be effective from 1 April 2011.

Bertie Faulkner
Chairman
College Employers’ Forum

Employee Travelling and Subsistence Allowances Scheme

EMPLOYEE TRAVELLING AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES SCHEME

1.	Introduction

This scheme sets out the arrangements for the payment of expenses to employees in Colleges of further education who in the course of their duty may be required to travel from one centre to another or incur costs due to absence from College on official business. Except in cases of emergency a journey must be authorised in advance by the appropriate line manager.  It should be noted that payment will not be made for any journey for which payment would normally be made by another body. 

Any employee who agrees to use his car for the authorised journeys should sign the Declaration and Undertaking on Insurance Arrangements (form available from the employing institution).  Staff should use suitable public transport if available / suitable. 

2.	Aim

To ensure appropriate arrangements for the reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses. 

Mileage claimed should always reflect mileage actually incurred in accordance with this scheme.

3.	Eligibility

(i)	For the purpose of the payment of travelling and subsistence allowances each employee has a designated base.
(ii)	The line manager must satisfy himself/herself that the journeys are necessary and that they are planned so as to make the most economical and effective use of the employees time.
(iii)	It should be determined by the line manager that each journey is necessary and the business could not be dealt with by telephone, correspondence, video conferencing or other electronic means or undertaken within a reasonable time as part of another journey
(iv)	Employees must maintain an official record regarding claim for their journeys, showing full particulars of and the reason for each, including names of official passengers carried.
(v)	To ensure value for money, employees are encouraged to share cars where appropriate. Before travelling they should take all reasonable steps to ensure journeys are synchronised.
(vi)	Employee claims for travelling expenses incurred whilst in breach of this scheme will be ineligible for reimbursement.

4.	Official Journeys that incur excess mileage when compared to normal home to base and / or return journeys will be reimbursed subject to Section 3.  See examples below:

(i)	If at the beginning of the day an employee travels directly from home to a site before proceeding to his/her base, mileage may be claimed where the home to site journey is a greater distance than the normal home to base journey. The mileage claimed should be the distance from home to site less the distance of the home to base journey. In addition, if an employee travels to another site or sites before proceeding to his/her base and incurs mileage in excess of normal home to base journey additional mileage may be claimed.
(ii)	If at the end of the day an employee travels directly from site to home mileage may be claimed where the site to home journey is a greater distance than the normal base to home journey. The mileage claimed should be the distance from site to home less the distance of the base to home journey.
(iii)	If an employee travels from home to site to home, mileage may be claimed where the home to site to home journey is a greater distance than the normal home to base to home journey. The mileage claimed should be the distance from home to site to home less the distance of the home to base to home journey.  

5.	Scheme Conditions

(i)	Travelling expenses necessarily incurred by employees in the performance of their official duties will be reimbursed.
(ii)	The current mileage rates are listed in the Appendix and will be updated from time to time by the appropriate Negotiating Committee.
(iii)	The payment of mileage allowances is made on the understanding that:
•	the employee is in possession of a current driving licence;
•	the vehicle is maintained in a roadworthy condition at all times and complies with all relevant legislation;
•	the employee holds a current driving licence and the vehicle is covered by a current policy of insurance permitting the use of the employees vehicle for business purposes, including the carriage of passengers on College business such policy indemnifying the College against all third party claims arising from an act of negligence by the employee;
•	if a claimant is in any doubt he/she should consult the insurance company or broker concerned). 
(iv)	Certificates of Insurance and Registration documents are required for verification purposes. Requests for such documents must be met within a reasonable period.  
(v)	Employees must advise Human Resources if they are found guilty of any motoring offence which may affect their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities or which is in breach of the conditions set out in paragraph 5 (iii) above.
(vi)	Employees must not use their car if they are in breach of any of the conditions set out in paragraph 5(iii) above.
(vii) 	Employees unable to execute their duties as a result of being in breach of these conditions may be considered in breach of their contract of employment.  

6.	Claims

Claims for travelling and subsistence should be made monthly. (Where appropriate valid receipts for subsistence or journeys made by public transport must be attached).  

(i)	Claims should be made out personally by the employee.
(ii)	It is the duty of the employee making the claim to secure approval in advance from the line manager for all journeys to be undertaken.
(iii)	Line Managers must:
•	be aware of their responsibility for the effective and efficient use of resources;
•	check that each claim has been made in accordance with this scheme;
•	satisfy themselves that each journey was necessary and that the mileage claimed is reasonable;
•	encourage sharing arrangements where possible.

Claims may be made in respect of the following approved activities

(iv)	Attendance at meetings of a Governing Body, or a Committee of the Governing Body, or of a Committee, Working Party or other body established by or approved by the College except as a member of the Governing Body.

	Attendance at other meetings (but not for interview as a candidate in connection with an appointment to a college post) at the request of the Director or line manager.
	
	Involvement in the planning and presentation of staff development organised and conducted by the College.
	
	Work in connection with curricular or other projects including visits to a residential centre, as approved by the College.

	Transport of sick or injured students from the College to a Doctor's surgery or a hospital or home.
	
	Travel between a designated base and another centre whether it be the main College, an annexe or an out-centre.  The designated base is detailed in your contract of employment.

	Attendances at staff development events organised or approved by the College.

7.	Subsistence Expenses

Claims for subsistence should only be made for the actual expenditure incurred up to the maximum agreed allowance in circumstances where the absence from the College exceeds five hours.
(i)	The aim of subsistence allowance is to reimburse employees who incur additional expenditure as a result of their absence from their base on official College business. Details of expenditure must be stated on the claim form.
(ii)	Line managers must satisfy themselves that the journey and length of absence is necessary.
(iii)	The College will require receipts to be provided to substantiate all subsistence claims.
(iv)	When an employee is on agreed business away from the College the actual receipted cost of meals, excluding lunches, up to a maximum allowance as set out in the Appendix may be claimed.

8.	Overnight Stay on College Business

(i)	When an employee stays away from home overnight on agreed College business the actual receipted cost of meals up to the maximum allowance as set out in the Appendix may be claimed.
(ii)	Subsistence claims may not be made for the following:
•	the cost of aeroplane flights; flights should be booked in advance through agreed College procedure;
•	the cost of accommodation; overnight accommodation should be booked in advance through agreed College procedure;
•	the cost of a meal where it is included within the cost of accommodation, e.g. breakfast;
where accommodation and meals are provided without charge to employees, e.g. on a residential training course. 

9)	Principles 

Claimants should practice integrity in all their dealings involving their use of time travel time and claims against the public purse. 

Claimants who are found to have wittingly made claims which are not in accordance with the above principles and conditions will be considered to have committed an act of gross misconduct and will be subject to disciplinary action which may lead to dismissal. 

Appendix

Employee Mileage and Subsistence Rates – Lecturing Staff 	

Mileage Rates 

Car	451 – 999 cc	1,000 – 1,199 cc	1,200 cc + above	
Per mile (first 8,500 miles)
	42.9p
	46.9p
	58.7p
	
Per mile (after 8,500 miles)
	13.3p
	13.6p
	15.8p

Public Transport Rate
 
			All users
			25.7p

Paid in accordance with the relevant CEF Circular or other collective agreement relating to circumstances when the public transport rate is appropriate.

Subsistence Rates 

The following maximum rates may be claimed in accordance with the provisions set out in sections 7 and 8:

Breakfast		up to £10
Lunch			up to £10
Evening meal	up to £20