The Local Government Transparency Code 2015
This Code is issued to meet the Government’s desire to place more power into citizens’ hands to increase democratic accountability and make it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision-making process and help shape public services.
The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 came into effect on 1 April 2015. The Code is issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in exercise of powers under Section 2 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, and replaces any previous codes issued in relation to authorities in England under those powers.
Full details can be found at on the GOV.UK website
Steyning Parish Council meets the definition of a local authority covered by the requirements of the code, defined as ‘a parish council which has gross annual income or expenditure (whichever is higher) exceeding £200,000’.
The code requires local authorities in England to publish the following information quarterly, annually or as a one-off publication:
QUARTERLY
Expenditure Exceeding £500 – Steyning Parish Council publishes this information on its website monthly, which can be found here –https://www.steyningpc.gov.uk/parish-council/finance/Procurement Card Transactions – Steyning Parish Council does not use a Government Procurement Card and therefore has no information to publish.
ANNUALLY
Local Authority Land – Steyning Parish Council publishes this information as a document, which can be found here – The SPC Land Register – 2024
Social Housing Asset Value – Steyning Parish Council does not hold any social housing stock and therefore has no information to publish.
Grants – Steyning Parish Council publishes this information on its website annually, which can be found here – https://www.steyningpc.gov.uk/parish-council/finance/
Organisational Chart – Steyning Parish Council publishes this as a document, which can be found here – Steyning Parish Council Staff Structure 2025
Trade Union Facility Time – Steyning Parish Council has no staff members who are union representatives and therefore has no information to publish.
Parking Account and Spaces – Steyning Parish Council owns a small car park adjacent the Memorial Playing Field, but it is free to users and therefore there is income needing to be published. There are 16 spaces available to residents and visitors at this location.
Senior Salaries – Local authorities are already required to publish, under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the following information with regard to senior salaries:
- The number of employees whose remuneration in that year was at least £50,000 in brackets of £5,000. • Details of remuneration and job title of certain senior employees whose salary is at least £50,000. • Employees whose salaries are £150,000 or more must also be identified by name.
In addition to this requirement, local authorities must place a link on their website to this published data or place the data itself on their website, together with a list of responsibilities (for example, the services and functions they are responsible for, budget held and number of staff) and details of bonuses and “benefits-in-kind”, for all employees whose salary exceeds £50,000.
As of 1st April 2024, Steyning Parish Council has no employee whose remuneration is at least £50,000.
Constitution – Steyning Parish Council’s constitution is made up of the Code of Conduct, SPC Financial Regulations, SPC Standing Orders, and the SPC Scheme of delegation, and it publishes this information on its website, which can be found here – https://www.steyningpc.gov.uk/parish-council/procedures/
Pay Multiple – Local authorities must, under this Code, publish the pay multiple on their website, defined as the ratio between the highest paid taxable earnings for the given year (including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind) and the median earnings figure of the whole of the authority’s workforce. The measure must:
- cover all elements of remuneration that can be valued (eg. all taxable earnings for the given year, including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind)
- use the median earnings figure as the denominator, which should be that of all employees of the local authority on a fixed date each year, coinciding with reporting at the end of the financial year, and
- exclude changes in pension benefits, which due to their variety and complexity cannot be accurately included in a pay multiple disclosure.
Steyning Parish Council’s pay multiple as at 1 April 2024 is 1 : 1.9. These calculations include part-time employees’ total salaries as full-time equivalents, not pro rata
Fraud – Steyning Parish Council has no staff members undertaking fraud investigation work and therefore has no information to publish.
ONE-OFF
Waste Contracts – The Steyning Parish Council Waste contracts do not exceed £5,000 per annum, therefore there is no need {as per Transparency Code} to publish information, above and beyond what has been disclosed within the Procurement Information Table, noted above.
However, the redacted Controlled Waste Transfer notes are published here for continued public scrutiny if so desired – SPC Business Waste Contract details