Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Antcliff.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item in the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Councillor K Gillott declared an interest in Agenda Item 3, Applications for Dispensation, as one of the applicants. He indicated that he would leave the room at the appropriate time and would not participate in the consideration or determination of the applications.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

The Committee received a report detailing the contents of the Government consultation on “Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England” and the responses that had been drafted as a result. The Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer delivered an overview on the background of the report and explained the rationale behind the draft responses.

Committee considered the report and the consultation questions in turn. Members were given the opportunity to comment on the draft responses and suggest amendments. Several issues were highlighted and discussed including the expected stringency of the new framework, the level of sanction powers that Local Authorities should have, the role of Independent Persons, the relationship between district councils and parish/town councils, and the level of clarity required in the new framework.

RESOLVED – That the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Standards Committee, formulate the final response for submission.

Having previously declared an interest in the next item, Councillor K Gillott left the meeting.

Councillor H Wetherall took over as Chair of the meeting.

To consider applications for dispensations to allow Councillors to take part in meetings where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

The Committee received a report detailing dispensation applications from three Councillors. The report explained that this was in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) resulting from their membership of the Rykneld Homes Ltd Board, which would prevent them from participating in the discussion of the HRA budget at Council on 27 January 2025.

The requests for a dispensation had been received from Councillors K Gillott, C Smith and C Clegg.  The letters requesting the dispensations were attached to the report at Appendices 1 and 2.

The report stated that one of the grounds for granting a dispensation was that, without the dispensation, the representation of different political groups on the body transacting the business would be so upset as to alter the likely outcome of any vote on the matter.  This was the situation in relation to the consideration of the HRA at Council given the current political balance of the Council.

Committee considered the applications. The precedent set should the dispensations be granted was discussed. Some Members of the Committee suggested that a dispensation would allow the Councillors to vote twice on the same issue. They had further reservations around granting dispensations in relation to how the decision could be perceived. It was agreed that dispensations should be considered on a case-by-case basis. In this context, some Members of the Committee considered that in the circumstances of the cases before them, the legislation made it clear that the dispensations should be granted.

RESOLVED – That the dispensations to participate in consideration of the HRA at Council on 27 January 2025 for Councillors Kathy Clegg, Kevin Gillott and Christine Smith in relation to their DPI as Rykneld Homes Ltd. Board members be granted.