Issue - meetings

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

Members were reminded by the Monitoring Officer that Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than 2 months must not vote in decisions on or which might affect budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements was a criminal offence under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

The Monitoring Officer added that any Members who were tenants of a Council property should declare an interest for any budget setting item, but these Members had an automatic dispensation to remain in the room to speak and vote on the items in question.

The Monitoring Officer also reminded Members that votes on budget and Council Tax setting items would be done via recorded vote as set out by the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

Councillor Steve Fritchley (Leader of the Council) declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in budget setting items as he paid a service charge and ground rent for a leasehold property belonging to the Council.

Councillor Sandra Peake declared that the Section 106 Local Government Finance Act 1992 restriction could apply to her because she was unsure of being up to date with her Council Tax payments.

Councillor Chris Kane declared a non-significant interest in motion 7b) as a Master with the Four Shires Bloodhounds, which was a different type of hunt to the ones described in the motion.

Councillor Graham Parkin declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in agenda item 9 (Treasury Strategy Reports 2021/22-2024/25) because the Capital Strategy report mentioned Lloyds Bank as the bank of the Council, and he held shares in Lloyds Bank.

Councillor Mary Dooley declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in budget setting items as a Council tenant.

Councillor Janet Tait explained that she recently moved house and there had been an administrative problem with Council Tax being collected from her new house, leading to her being behind in Council Tax payments for 2 months.

The Monitoring Officer advised Members that the interests submitted would be recorded in the minutes but none of them would prevent Members from voting on items apart from the ones submitted by Councillor Janet Tait and Councillor Sandra Peake. The Monitoring Officer added that because there was a possibility of them both being in arrears of Council Tax for more than 2 months, they should not vote on budget setting items as per Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.