Councillor allowances, expenses, conduct and interests

Members of the Council are not paid but do receive a basic allowance to cover their time spent working as councillors and any associated costs. Some councillors will receive an additional allowance if they take on an extra role, such as lead member. Expenses will be paid to cover and travel or costs incurred while undertaking council work.

The Mayor's Office is responsible for administering the Members' Allowance Scheme and therefore oversees the receipt, processing and payment of all appropriate expense claims submitted by members.

You will find more information on the Members allowance scheme in the council's Constitution

In line with the Localism Act 2011, when someone gets elected as a councillor they have to sign a declaration to abide by and uphold the Brent Member’ Code of Conduct.

Members are expected to observe this code when carrying out their duties.

The Code also defines the requirements concerning the disclosure of interests and gifts and hospitality. Each councillor is required to declare certain personal and financial interests, including any interests that might be seen as prejudicing their decision-making. The Monitoring Office will enter these into a register that we must keep by law.  

Councillors have to keep their declaration up to date by informing the Council’s Monitoring Officer of any changes within 28 days.

We will investigate any allegation that a member has failed to comply with the Code and decide what action, if any, should be taken. If you feel that a member has breached the Code and wish to make a formal complaint please see make a complaint about a councillor.

To view individual members' interests go to the Democracy portal, where you can search by councillor name, ward or political party.

Elected councillors or any relevant person* and anyone that has been co-opted onto a committee of the Council, must declare interests in relation to:

• any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried out for profit or gain
• any companies in which they are a remunerated director
• sponsorships received
• contracts between them and the council, or contracts between the Council and companies in which they have a beneficial interest
• any beneficial interest in land in the area of the Council
• licences held to occupy land in the area of the Council for a month or longer
• corporate tenancies where the Council is the landlord and the tenant is a body** in which they have a beneficial interest
• securities, significant shareholdings worth more than £25,000 (or 100th of the total issued share capital) held in a body which has a place of business or land within the area of the Council
• bodies to which they are appointed or nominated by the council
• interests in charities, societies and other bodies
• gifts and hospitality received in excess of £50 in value

All declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality can be declared via our form and found on the individual councillors pages.

* relevant person = spouse or civil partner or person with whom you are living as a spouse or civil partner.
** a firm in which you or the relevant person is a partner or a body corporate of which you and the relevant person is a director or in the securities of which you and the relevant person has a beneficial interest.