Agenda item
Dispensations
Purpose: To receive any requests for dispensations.
Decision:
RESOLVED:
County Councillor Richard Jones
That County Councillor Richard Jones be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d) and (e) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to enter into written communications with officers on car parking charges in Buckley, to take part in the debate but not vote when the item was reported to a Committee or County Council meeting but to remain in the room to hear the debate. The duration of the dispensation was granted for 12 months ceasing on 3 July 2017.
Town Councillor Stephen Rodham
That Town Councillor Stephen Rodham be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to correspond with officers on the CAT of the Community Centre, Library and Youth Centre. Also to speak to officers provided that there was a witness which would ensure that at least three people would be present, and that the conversation be minuted. To speak and/or answer questions at Town Council meetings, to remain in the room during the debate but not vote at Council or Committee meetings. It was also agreed that in the absence of a Code of Conduct of the CIO that the Town Council’s Code of Conduct be followed. In addition, should Councillor Rodham become a County Councillor then the dispensation should be reviewed.
Town Councillor Shelley Streeter
That Town Councillor Shelley Streeter be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to correspond with officers on the CAT of the Community Centre, Library and Youth Centre. Also to speak to officers provided that there was a witness which would ensure that at least three people would be present, and that the conversation be minuted. To speak and/or answer questions at Town Council meetings, to remain in the room during the debate but not vote at Council or Committee meetings. It was also agreed that in the absence of a Code of Conduct of the CIO that the Town Council’s Code of Conduct be followed. In addition, should Councillor Streeter become a County Councillor then the dispensation should be reviewed.
Minutes:
Following despatch of the agenda, three dispensation requests had been received from County Councillor Richard Jones, Saltney Town Councillor Stephen Rodham and Saltney Town Councillor Shelley Streeter.
County Councillor Richard Jones
The Committee were asked to consider a request for dispensation submitted by County Councillor Richard Jones which related to changes to the car parking policy. The request was to speak to officers, Members and others, to make written representations and to speak to Council Committees and to remain in the Chamber to hear the related debate.
Councillor Jones explained that he had been appointed President of the Buckley and District Chamber of Commerce and that body was making representations to the Council, seeking to have the car parking charges policy amended for Buckley. The change would continue to provide the anticipated levels of income for the Council, but also attract recent lost trade, whilst avoiding further trade loss in the town. He added that he was a member of Buckley Town Council and his wife was a trader in the town.
He provided details of businesses that had recently closed in the town for a variety of reasons and felt it was important that there was continued dialogue between Flintshire County Council, Buckley Town Council and Buckley and District Chamber of Commerce for the benefit of the town.
It was the suggestion from Buckley and District Chamber of Commerce and the Town Council that a two part ticket be introduced in the town. This would enable traders who were part of the scheme to reimburse the parking cost to the customer on receipt of the second part of the ticket. This would therefore have no impact on income levels to the Council.
In response to a question from Councillor McGuill, Councillor Jones explained that 22 traders of the town were in agreement with the suggested amended scheme when it was discussed at a recent meeting of the Buckley and District Chamber of Commerce, which included Costa Coffee and Iceland.
Councillor Jones left the room whilst the Committee considered the request.
The Chair commented that Councillor Jones had received a previous dispensation relating to car parking charges and the Monitoring Officer explained that this was in relation to his wife’s business in the town. In advising the Committee, he said to approve anything less than had been granted in May 2015 there would need to be a material difference in circumstances of which there was not.
Following a discussion the Committee decided that Councillor Richard Jones be granted dispensation to enter into written communications with officers on car parking charges in Buckley, to take part in the debate but not vote when the item was reported to a Committee or County Council meeting but to remain in the room to hear the debate. The duration of the dispensation was granted for 12 months ceasing on 3 July 2017.
Councillor Jones was called back into the meeting and informed of the decision.
Saltney Town Councillor Stephen Rodham and Saltney Town Councillor Shelley Streeter
The Chair advised that the dispensations for Town Councillors Stephen Rodham and Shelley Streeter be considered together as the applications were identical, which was agreed.
The Monitoring Officer provided details of the background to the applications which related to Sandy Lane Community Centre in Saltney. The building was in two parts with half being run by the Youth Service and the other half run by Sandy Lane Community Centre Committee. County Councillor Veronica Gay was a member of the Community Centre Committee and had previously been granted dispensation by the Standards Committee.
As part of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer programme two competitive bids had been received for the transfer of the Community Centre; one from Sandy Lane Community Centre Committee and one from Saltney Town Council.
Councillors Rodham and Streeter were Saltney Town Councillors and also members of a provisional Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) which had undertaken a bid for the CAT. In relation to Paragraph 10(2)(a) of the Code of Conduct both Councillors did not have a personal and prejudicial interest as they did not hold a position of general control or management of the CIO. But given that both Councillors were heavily involved in the provisional CIO, attended meetings with officers and represented views in a way in which a permanent CIO and that the CIO would be formally established in the near future, it was deemed appropriate for the applications to be made at this stage of the process for clarity purposes.
The Monitoring Officer added that neither Councillor had a personal stake in the organisation. He provided details of the dispensation applied for and what was granted to Councillor Gay in September 2014.
Following a discussion, it was agreed that the same permission should be grated to Councillors Rodham and Streeter as had been granted to Councillor Gay. This was that they be granted dispensation to correspond with officers on the CAT of the Community Centre, Library and Youth Centre. Also to speak to officers provided that there was a witness which would ensure that at least three people would be present, and that the conversation be minuted. To speak and/or answer questions at Town Council meetings, to remain in the room during the debate but not vote at Council or Committee meetings. It was also agreed that in the absence of a Code of Conduct of the CIO that the Town Council’s Code of Conduct be followed. In addition, should either of the Town Councillors become a County Councillor then the dispensation should be reviewed.
RESOLVED:
County Councillor Richard Jones
That County Councillor Richard Jones be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d) and (e) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to enter into written communications with officers on car parking charges in Buckley, to take part in the debate but not vote when the item was reported to a Committee or County Council meeting but to remain in the room to hear the debate. The duration of the dispensation was granted for 12 months ceasing on 3 July 2017.
Town Councillor Stephen Rodham
That Town Councillor Stephen Rodham be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to correspond with officers on the CAT of the Community Centre, Library and Youth Centre. Also to speak to officers provided that there was a witness which would ensure that at least three people would be present, and that the conversation be minuted. To speak and/or answer questions at Town Council meetings, to remain in the room during the debate but not vote at Council or Committee meetings. It was also agreed that in the absence of a Code of Conduct of the CIO that the Town Council’s Code of Conduct be followed. In addition, should Councillor Rodham become a County Councillor then the dispensation should be reviewed.
Town Councillor Shelley Streeter
That Town Councillor Shelley Streeter be granted dispensation under paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 to correspond with officers on the CAT of the Community Centre, Library and Youth Centre. Also to speak to officers provided that there was a witness which would ensure that at least three people would be present, and that the conversation be minuted. To speak and/or answer questions at Town Council meetings, to remain in the room during the debate but not vote at Council or Committee meetings. It was also agreed that in the absence of a Code of Conduct of the CIO that the Town Council’s Code of Conduct be followed. In addition, should Councillor Streeter become a County Councillor then the dispensation should be reviewed.