Issue - meetings

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 4 April (Special meeting) and 9 April 2014.

That the minutes of the meetings held on 4 April and 9 April 2014 be approved as correct records and signed by the Chairman.

The draft minutes of the meeting of the Committees held on 4 April 2014 (special meeting) and 9 April 2014 had been circulated to Members with the agenda.

9 April 2014

Accuracy

            In referring to page 21, Councillor Alison Halford raised concern that a serious issue had been omitted from the minutes.  She said that Councillor Chris Bithell had made a suggestion that she was in connivance with the applicant of Deer Lodge, Cymau.  She had also been accused of attacking officers and she declared that she had not been aggressive at the meeting.  She suggested that the following words be included in the minutes on page 21, in the paragraph starting ‘Councillor Richard Jones’:-

“Councillor Bithell indicated that Councillor Halford had something to do with the owner of Deer Lodge which was why he kept bringing the application back to Committee rather than submitting an appeal.  Rather than listening to officers, she had attacked them in such a way that her behaviour should be reported to the Standards Committee”. 

Councillor Halford indicated that she had defended herself in response to the comments made. 

            The Democracy & Governance Manager advised that the matter was recorded on page 22 and suggested that this was a more appropriate place to include the words that she had indicated.  He asked if Councillor Halford was asking that the wording be in place of the paragraph on page 22 or in addition to it.  She proposed that it be an addition to page 22 and this was duly seconded. 

            In response, Councillor Chris Bithell said that he had not made an allegation of connivance between the applicant and Councillor Halford but had commented that the applicant could have appealed against the decision of refusal.  He believed that the paragraph on page 22 was an accurate summary of the discussion at the meeting.  He added that he raised concern about the comments of Councillor Halford to the officers and the way she had taken issue with the advice that they had provided. 

            Councillor Derek Butler concurred that the issue had been accurately summarised on page 22 of the minutes and that the debate had begun when he had spoken about Council policies and had commented on Councillor Halford using the wrong policy in the wrong place. 

            The Democracy & Governance Manager advised that officers felt that the draft minutes were a correct record of the meeting and that it was for the Committee to decide if the proposed paragraph should be included. 

            On being put to the vote, the proposal to include the wording suggested by Councillor Halford was LOST.  Councillor Ian Dunbar proposed that the minutes included in the agenda were a correct record and this was duly seconded.  On being put to the vote, the proposal was CARRIED.        

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings held on 4 April and 9 April 2014 be approved as correct records and signed by the Chairman.