Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary other pecuniary or non pecuniary interests relevant to items on the agenda.
Minutes:
John Austin (Assistant Director Corporate Governance) reminded members of the requirements within the new Member Code of Conduct, relating to the declaration of interests. The code had introduced a new category of disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) which in effect had replaced the previous category of prejudicial interests.
Members were advised that:
· these interests extended not only to themselves but also to those of their spouse, partner, civil partner, family members or persons with whom they had a close association or personal relationship, and where they were aware that they had an interest.
· when considering registering or disclosing any interests, they would still need to consider whether a member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would reasonably regard the interest as so significant that it would be likely to prejudice their judgement of the public interest and if so the interest should be declared.
· If they considered they had a DPI or prejudicial interest in any matter being considered at the meeting they would need to declare that interest and must leave the meeting until the conclusion of the matter under discussion. They would not be permitted to discuss or vote on the matter in question and would also need to ensure that the Monitoring Officer was notified of the interest (if not already declared), unless a dispensation had been granted.
Given the number of enquiries from Members relating to potential DPIs in relation to Agenda Item 8 (Council Tax Local Support Scheme) the Councillor Conduct Committee had met on the 28 January 2013 to consider the granting of a general dispensation in relation to this item. The Committee had agreed that the granting of any dispensation should be considered on an individual rather than general basis. This would be based on the delegated authority available to the Assistant Director Corporate Governance to issue a dispensation on the grounds that the number of DPIs would mean that either:
· the transaction of business would be impeded; or
· the representation of different political groups on the Council would be so upset as to alter the outcome of any vote on the matter;
If the number of DPIs was not sufficient for the above conditions to apply then it would not be possible for the Assistant Director Corporate Governance to grant a dispensation and the members with the DPI would need to withdraw from the meeting and would not be able to participate in the discussion or vote on the item.
As a result of the advice provided, the following interests were declared at the meeting:
Agenda item 8 – Council Tax Support Local Scheme, Technical Changes, Council Tax & Business Rate Taxbase
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests were declared by the following members in the respect of the above item as either they or their spouse, partner or close family member or a person with whom they had a close association or personal relationship received or benefited from the receipt of Council Tax benefit:
Councillors Kate Anolue; Chaudhury Anwar; Caitriona Bearryman; Chris Bond; Yasemin Brett; Jayne Buckland; Alev Cazimoglu; Yusuf Cicek; Patricia Ekechi; Ahmet Hasan; Denise Headley; Dino Lemonides; Chris Murphy; Ayfer Orhan; Ahmet Oykener; Geoffrey Robinson; Rohini Simbodyal & Andrew Stafford.
Given the impact of these declarations on the political balance of the Council, the Assistant Director Corporate Governance exercised his power under section 31 (4) (b) of the Members Code of Conduct to grant dispensations to each of the above members, allowing them to remain in the meeting, participate in the discussion and vote on this item.