What is authority business?

The Part-time Office determination defines authority business, which can be:

• any authorised work that is not a formal meeting (it can be performed on the same day that a formal meeting is held). This list isn't exhaustive, but it could include:
  • sub-committee work (including meetings and preparation for those meetings);
  • stakeholder engagement;
  • representational work;
  • out-of-session consideration of funding/grant applications;
  • official travel on a non-meeting day;
  • comments and feedback provided on papers, policies, strategies;
  • inspections or visits where this is part of the work of the authority; and
  • general correspondence, emails and phone calls that relate to the office holder's work for the body/entity.

• excessive time spent preparing for a formal meeting (normal preparation time is not considered authority business and does not attract additional payment). A decision on whether preparation time is excessive is a matter for the Chair.In order to establish an entitlement to payment an office holder must spend a minimum period of at least one hour on authority business. Shorter periods do not attract payment. The maximum payment that may be made to an office holder for work performed on a day is one daily fee.