Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.  No declarations were made.

To receive the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 15^th October 2012, and the Standards Hearings Panel held on 19^th October 2012.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Standards Committee on 15^th October 2012 and the minutes of the Standards Committee Hearings Panel on 19^th October 2012, be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services (Monitoring Officer) on the granting of dispensations to Councillors to speak and vote on matters which they would otherwise be excluded due to a declarable pecuniary interest.

Two reports were going to the next Cabinet and onto Full Council, where a number of Councillors would be unable to participate if dispensations were not granted.  The Committee gave consideration to the applications received to date in relation to the subject matter of each report in a tabled Appendix.  The Committee also delegated authority for any further applications on the same subject matter to be approved by the Monitoring Officer.

In addition, it was agreed that to save the need to all Special Meetings of the Standards Committee on a regular basis, that the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chair of the Committee should have delegated authority to deal with other urgent applications for dispensations received in between scheduled Standards Committee meetings, with a list of any granted being reported to the next meeting.

Resolved – (1) That the applications for a dispensation set out Minutes Appendix 1 as tabled at the meeting be approved for a period of 4 years, and the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to grant any additional applications received on the same subjects for a 4 year period.

            (2) That the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to grant applications for Dispensations, in consultation with the Chair of the Standards Committee, on any subject matter, when the application is urgent and cannot wait to the next scheduled meeting of the Standards Committee.  Any such dispensations to be reported to the next scheduled meeting of the Committee.