Staff Expenses Policy

1. BCVS recognises that members of staff will sometimes have to travel in connection with their work. It is the policy of BCVS that costs incurred as a result of travelling in connection with BCVS business will be reimbursed in accordance with the following provisions.
2. Receipts
   
   a) Receipts, rail or bus tickets or other proof of expenditure such as 'Pay & Display' parking tickets, should be obtained for all expenditure which is the subject of a claim for expenses other than mileage claims. Line managers authorising expenses should monitor the production of receipts. Checks will be made to ensure that expense has genuinely been incurred and this may involve telephoning the supplier of the service concerned where the cost exceeds £5. Line managers are expected to make more thorough checks where the cost is greater.
3. Routine travel in the locality of Bournemouth which is a part of the normal requirements of the post.
   
   a) Where the nature of the role is such that regular travel around the borough of Bournemouth , and the immediate surrounding area, is a part of the work, then this does not need to be agreed on each occasion.
   
   b) Journeys should be made using the most practicable means of transport. Employees who use a private car on CVS business must ensure that a copy of their driving licence and a copy of their insurance certificate are given to their line manager to be placed on their personnel file. It is the individual employee’s responsibility to ensure that they have adequate insurance to allow them to drive their vehicle for business purposes and also that the vehicle has both a current tax disc and MOT certificate if applicable. The office manager will advise on the current mileage rates.
   
   c) Payment for parking costs at venues other than the normal place of work will be met but staff members should make efforts to minimise these by finding suitable places to park free of charge where practicable.
   
   d) No costs incurred in travel between the home address of a staff member and their normal place of work will be reimbursed. For these purposes ‘normal place of work’ also includes a location different to their home address but which a staff member chooses to travel from or to at the beginning or end of their working day.
   
   e) All expenses claims incurred as a part of routine duties should be monitored by the authorising signatory and any concerns should be discussed with the staff member at an early stage.
4. Travel which is not a routine part of the post but is in connection with a training event, conference or other commitment directly relating to the role and agreed as necessary to the post holder.
   
   a) All costs to be incurred in connection with the event should be estimated by the staff member in advance and agreed with the line manager. The total cost of the event will be a consideration in the decision to authorise attendance or not.
   
   b) Where attendance at a course, conference etc. is agreed with the line manager as necessary in order for the staff member to carry out their duties then the agreed costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence will be reimbursed.
   
   c) Travel should be by the cheapest practicable means which will usually be second class coach or rail. Journeys should be planned well in advance wherever possible in order to take advantage of cheaper advance bookings. Rail tickets should be booked using the BCVS ‘Charity Line’ account via the Office Manager at BCVS.
   
   d) Taxi journeys should be avoided where possible but will be necessary on occasions. Whilst difficult to estimate accurately, consideration of the length of necessary taxi journeys should be included in the assessment of the costs of the event and in the decision regarding which method of travel should be used. Taxis within Bournemouth should be booked using the account. Receipts for taxi journeys outside Bournemouth must be produced.
   
   e) Where journeys are not practicable by public transport and are in excess of 100 miles, consideration should be given to hiring a car. Costs involved should be assessed and compared to private car travel and the latter should only be authorised if it is the cheaper option.
   
   f) Bed and breakfast accommodation should be modest but comfortable and reasonably close to the event venue, taking account of the method of travel. Several internet search facilities enable an indication of accommodation costs in a particular area to be gained. No accommodation will be booked without the authorisation of the line manager. Line Managers will check with the office manager to establish current maximum rates.
5. Claiming expenses.
   
   a) Mileage expenses should be submitted to line managers on the Travel Claim Form. All other claims for expenses should be submitted with receipts using the Staff Expenses Claim Form.
   
   b) Claims must be submitted by the end of the month wherever possible and no later than the end of the month following the month in which the cost was incurred.
   
   c) No claims will be processed unless authorised in writing by the line manager.

Date:

Signed:

Chair of BCVS Board Chief Executive BCVS

Date policy agreed: October 2005