SC 3
The Committee considered its Annual Report for
the period December 2017 to March 2019.
In particular, the report requested that the Committee consider
granting dispensations in time for the next Council and recommended
the appointment of additional Independent Persons.
In discussion, reference was made to:-
(a)
Members being entitled to receive an Allowance from
other local authorities. The Monitoring
Officer confirmed that, whilst Members of other local authorities
and Outside Bodies were required to declare these on their
respective Register of Interest forms, they would not need to
declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest unless they claimed an
Allowance from that organisation.
Therefore, the proposal to grant a General Dispensation would
enable those Members who were entitled to receive an Allowance from
another organisation to speak and vote on relevant
matters;
(b)
the justification for the appointment of two
additional Independent Persons. Such
were the potential time commitments on the Independent Persons that
resulted from reviewing detailed complaints, that the Committee
acknowledged there was a need two additional Members to be
appointed. The Monitoring Officer
confirmed that she would keep the workload of Independent Persons
under ongoing review. In addition, the
Committee was advised that a rota
system was applied to ensure that there was a parity of workload
for the Independent Persons;
(c)
the ability to co-opt up to two town/parish council
representatives to serve on the Committee. Members were reminded of the constitutional
provision whereby it could choose to co-opt representatives to
serve on the Committee.
It was then RESOLVED
that:
1.
the Annual Report has been considered by the
Committee and commented upon as recorded in the minutes
above;
2.
with effect from the Annual Council Meeting in May
2019 until the Annual Council Meeting in May 2023, General
Dispensations be granted in accordance with Paragraph 2.4 of the
presented agenda report so that:
a.
Mutli-hatted Members of the Borough Council are able to speak and
vote on matters where they are Members of another Local Authority
and in receipt of a Members’ Allowance;
b.
Housing – a Member can speak and vote when
they (or their spouse or partner) holds a tenancy or lease with the
Council (as long as the matter does not relate to the
Member’s particular tenancy or lease);
c.
Statutory Sick Pay – a Member can speak and
vote if (s)he receives this or is entitled to receive
it;
d.
A Member can speak or vote on an Allowance,
Travelling Expense, Payment or Indemnity that Members are entitled
to receive;
e.
A Member can speak or vote on any Ceremonial Honour
given to Members;
f.
A Member can speak or vote when the Council Tax or a
Precept is being set; and
3.
Council be RECOMMENDED to appoint Mr
Trevor Kirkin and Mr Peter Boreham to serve as West Devon Borough Council
Independent Persons from the Annual Meeting in May 2019 until the
Annual Meeting in May 2023.