Agenda item

(a)       That dispensation be granted under paragraphs (c) and (d) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations)(Wales) Regulations 2001 to Councillors: Alex Aldridge, Bernie Attridge, Amanda Bragg, Helen Brown, Hilary Isherwood, Kevin Jones, Colin Legg, Billy Mullin, Hilary McGuill, Neville Phillips, Aaron Shotton, Ian Smith, Carolyn Thomas and David Williams;

(b)       That dispensation be granted under paragraph (f) of the above regulations to Councillors: Bernie Attridge, Billy Mullin and Aaron Shotton;

(c)        That all dispensations be granted in the following terms:

            ‘That the councillor is allowed to participate in all briefings and meetings in respect of the current proposed Single Status agreement and that they be allowed to communicate with officers, whether orally or in writing, on the issues of general principle involved (including the impact of changes to general terms and conditions such as travelling expenses etc).  This dispensation to include approval to remain in the room, speak and vote on the issue’; and

(d)       That the dispensation does not permit the councillor to ask about the impact on a closely associated person and will not apply if the councillor is or becomes aware of any impact that is specific to the post occupied by any closely associated person within the meaning of paragraph 10(2)(c) of the Code of Conduct.

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services reported on requests for dispensations from County Council Members to participate in the briefings and debate on Single Status.  A total of 12 dispensation forms were appended to the report out of a total of 16 councillors who believed that they had a personal and prejudicial interest.  In addition, copies of a request submitted by Councillor Hilary Isherwood were circulated and Councillor Hilary McGuill had also put forward a request earlier in the day.

The Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council together with Councillor McGuill each outlined their reasons for seeking dispensation and were informed that they could remain to hear the advice given and would be requested to leave the room whilst the matter was discussed.

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services detailed the background to Single Status and explained the requirement in the Code of Conduct for councillors to declare an interest if they were closely associated to an affected employee.  He stressed that at no time had any information on individuals affected by Single Status been shared with councillors and that the nature of information to be shared at the forthcoming meetings was not specific to individuals.  If agreed by the Committee, the dispensations would be granted until the point at which affected employees were to receive notification on the outcome of Single Status.  After this point, he recommended that councillors would need to make further requests for dispensation as they would then be aware of how those employees they were closely associated with were affected.

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services outlined the grounds on which the applications for dispensation to speak and vote on the item had been made, together with the relevant circumstances in which the Committee could consider granting dispensation in accordance with the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001.  Whilst paragraphs (c) and (d) were relevant in all cases, he felt that paragraph (e) was not relevant in this instance, although he said that the Committee may take a different view.  In addition, three of the councillors had included paragraph (f) due to their roles on the Cabinet.

Councillor Attridge explained the reasons why paragraph (e) had been included on his dispensation and requested that this be removed and paragraph (c) added, so that paragraphs (c), (d) and (f) applied in his case.

At this point, the Leader, Deputy Leader and Councillor McGuill left the room to enable the Committee to make their considerations.

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services advised that as dispensation forms had only been received from 13 of the 16 councillors named in the report with a personal and prejudicial interest, the Committee was not able to consider dispensations for Councillors Chris Dolphin, Rosetta Dolphin and Adele Davies-Cooke.

Councillor A. Woolley proposed that the recommendations be accepted to grant dispensation to those listed in paragraph 4.01 of the report, with the inclusion of Councillor McGuill and exception of the three councillors previously mentioned.  This was duly seconded and agreed by the Committee.

The Leader, Deputy Leader and Councillor McGuill were invited back to the room and were informed of the decision.  The Head of Legal & Democratic Services advised that he would write to the relevant councillors to confirm the Committee’s decision.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That dispensation be granted under paragraphs (c) and (d) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations)(Wales) Regulations 2001 to Councillors: Alex Aldridge, Bernie Attridge, Amanda Bragg, Helen Brown, Hilary Isherwood, Kevin Jones, Colin Legg, Billy Mullin, Hilary McGuill, Neville Phillips, Aaron Shotton, Ian Smith, Carolyn Thomas and David Williams;

(b)       That dispensation be granted under paragraph (f) of the above regulations to Councillors: Bernie Attridge, Billy Mullin and Aaron Shotton;

(c)        That all dispensations be granted in the following terms:

            ‘That the councillor is allowed to participate in all briefings and meetings in respect of the current proposed Single Status agreement and that they be allowed to communicate with officers, whether orally or in writing, on the issues of general principle involved (including the impact of changes to general terms and conditions such as travelling expenses etc).  This dispensation to include approval to remain in the room, speak and vote on the issue’; and

(d)       That the dispensation does not permit the councillor to ask about the impact on a closely associated person and will not apply if the councillor is or becomes aware of any impact that is specific to the post occupied by any closely associated person within the meaning of paragraph 10(2)(c) of the Code of Conduct.