Agenda and minutes

Dispensation Panel, Standards Committee - Tuesday, 3rd October, 2023 10.00 am

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Venue: Ystafell Bwyllgor 1 / Zoom

Contact: Shirley Cooke 

Items
No. Item

1.

Declaration of Interest

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

Minutes:

None received.

2.

Exclusion of the Press and Public pdf icon PDF 106 KB

To consider adopting the following:-

 

“Under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the discussion on the following item on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test.”

Minutes:

RESOLVED to adopt the following:-

 

“Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during discussion on the following item on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test.”

 

3.

Application for Dispensation

To consider an application for dispensation by a Community Councillor.

Minutes:

The Solicitor (Corporate Governance) reported that an application for dispensation was made by Councillor Iorwerth Roberts of Bryngwran Community Council to allow him to take part, in his capacity as Chair of the Community Council, in relation to a contentious issue to be discussed by the Community Council. 

 

Following hearing the background to the application for dispensation by the applicant, the Panel retired to private session to determine whether or not to grant a dispensation; and if granting a dispensation, to consider (i) on what ground(s) the dispensation is granted and (ii) whether there are any limitations/constraints to be imposed.

 

It was RESOLVED that a partial dispensation be granted to Councillor Iorwerth Roberts, in his capacity as Chair of Bryngwran Community Council, in respect of those interests referred to in the application. The partial dispensation permits the Councillor to:-

 

  Write to Officers and the Community Council as regards to the matter;

  Speak to Officers of the Community Council about the matter, without any conditions;

  Speak at Community Council meetings and answer any questions about the issue;

  Remain in the room during any debate and/or vote on the issue;

  if relevant, participate in all public meetings and meetings of any outside bodies in his capacity as Chair of Bryngwran Community Council.

 

The partial dispensation does not permit the Councillor to vote on the matter.

 

The dispensation is granted on the statutory grounds that the nature of the Member’s interest is such that the Member’s participation in the business to which the interest relates would not damage public confidence in the conduct of the Council’s business; the interest is common to the Member and a significant proportion of the general public; the participation of the Member in the business to which the interest relates is justified by the Member’s particular role or expertise (as Chair of Bryngwran Community Council); and it appears to the Standard Committee to be in the interest of the inhabitants of the area of the Council that the disability should be removed.

 

Action:

 

• That the Monitoring Officer writes to Councillor Roberts confirming that the Standards Committee Panel has granted a partial dispensation permitting him to write, speak, but not vote on all matters relating to this matter.

• Councillor Roberts must declare a prejudicial interest when attending the Community Council and all other relevant meetings, and state that he has been granted a partial dispensation by the Standards Committee to participate, but not vote.