Agenda and minutes

To receive any declaration of interest from a Member or Officer regarding any item of business.

    The Committee Officer declared a personal interest in the meeting, as her husband is a distant relative of the applicant.

To consider an application for dispensation.

The Solicitor (Corporate Governance) reported that an application for dispensation was sought by Councillor Derek Owen, Chair of Llanbadrig Community Council, in relation to the Schools’ Modernisation Programme in the Amlwch catchment area.  Councillor Owen wishes to participate in discussions during the process. 

Councillor Owen considers himself to have a personal interest, as his grandchildren attend Ysgol Penysarn, which is one of the schools under consideration in the Schools’ Modernisation Programme within the Amlwch area.  Ysgol Cemaes is the local school for Llanbadrig Community Council and this school is also under consideration in the Schools’ Modernisation Programme within the Amlwch area. Councillor Owen’s prejudicial interest arises from the fact that Ysgol Penysarn and Ysgol Cemaes are in the same pool of schools whose future is to be reviewed.

The Dispensation Panel, through its Chairman, had agreed to consider the application by way of a paper exercise only.  The applicant did not attend the meeting.  

The Solicitor (Corporate Governance) referred to the Code of Conduct for Llanbadrig Community Council and highlighted the relevant ground for Councillor Owen’s personal interest, namely Para 10(2)(c)(i) and the question as to whether the personal interest is prejudicial is considered under Para 12(1).

The Solicitor (Corporate Governance) explained to the Panel that if it agreed that Councillor Owen had a personal and prejudicial interest, the Panel would then need to determine whether it would grant a dispensation and, if so, on what grounds and whether it was going to be a full or partial dispensation.

The Monitoring Officer reported that when determining a prejudicial interest, it is not just the role of the decision maker that must be considered, but influencing an important decision, which constitutes a prejudicial interest.  She stated that the possible closure of school/s is a significant matter for the area, and those affected. 

The Monitoring Officer reported that, as part of the Schools’ Modernisation Programme, the Chairs of Governing bodies may attend the County Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee to present their views.  The Corporate Scrutiny Committee will then submit its views to the Executive, by which the decision/s will be taken.

The Panel discussed the individual circumstances in relation to the application, and agreed that Councillor Owen’s interests were personal and prejudicial. As the Standards Committee had previously granted dispensations in similar circumstances (i.e. to Grandparents of children attending Schools affected by the School Modernisation Programme) it was considered that the applicant had a personal and prejudicial interest in this instance too.

Members of the Panel deliberated in private session.  Following discussion, the Chair announced that the Standards Committee had RESOLVED to grant a full dispensation to Councillor Derek Owen of Llanbadrig Community Council to:-

•  write to officers and/or the Committee/Community Council about the matter;

•  speak to officers of the Community Council about the matter without conditions;

•  speak at Committee meetings/Community Council meetings and answer any questions about the issue;

•  remain in the room during any debate, and vote on the issue;

•  participate in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.