Agenda item - General Dispensations Report

Agenda item

General Dispensations Report

Minutes:

Prior to presenting the General Dispensations Report, the Principal Solicitor reported that she had received a written request from Councillor M. Thompson for a dispensation, as was admissible and explained within the report.  Councillor M. Thompson was in attendance at the meeting to put forward his request and respond to any questions from Members prior to a decision being made.  The dispensation requested was in respect of Councillor Thompson’s employment at Bromsgrove School and the Heat Network (and the proposal to build it within the grounds of the school), which came under his portfolio.  He provided detail around his position at the school and assured Members that he had no involvement within his role at the school in this matter.  Specific reference was made to him responding to a question at Council, and whilst there was no issue at the moment, he anticipated that this could be problematic in the future and would therefore like to formally request a dispensation in order for him to be able to take part in any future discussions on this matter.

 

The Vice Chairman asked the Deputy Monitoring Officer for her view and she suggested that it was a matter for Members to consider, along with the other dispensations detailed within the report.

 

Councillor Thompson confirmed that he had no involvement with the school’s executive body who would make any decisions in respect of the heat network.  Member were satisfied with the position and were minded to agree the request.

 

RESOLVED that

 

1)    any Individual Member Dispensations (IMDs) and Outside Body Appointments dispensations requested by Members up to the point of the meeting, and as advised by the Monitoring Officer at the meeting, be granted under section 33 (2) of the Localism Act 2011, to allow those Member(s) to participate in and vote at Council and Committee meetings in the individual circumstances detailed;

 

2)    the Audit, Standards and Governance Committee grant a dispensation under Section 33 (2) of the Localism Act 2011 to allow Members to address Council and Committees in circumstances where a member of the public may elect to speak;

 

3)    subject to the caveat set out in paragraph 4.9 of this report in relation to setting the Council’s Budget, the Audit, Standards and Committee grants dispensations under Section 33 (2) of the Localism Act 2011 to allow all Members to participate in and vote at Council and Committee meetings when considering the setting of:

 

a)       the Budget;

b)       Council Tax;

c)       Members' Allowances; and

d)        Non-Domestic Rates – Discretionary Rate Relief Policy and Guidance affecting properties within the District;

 

4)    it be noted that all dispensations granted by the Committee take effect on receipt of a written request from Members for such a dispensation and where Members may have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the matter under consideration, which would otherwise preclude such participation and voting; and

 

5)    it be noted that the dispensations referred to at resolutions (1), (2) and (3) will remain valid until the first meeting of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee following the next District Council Elections in 2023 unless amended by the Committee prior to that date.        

 

 

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