Agenda and minutes

Venue: Kaposvar Room - Guildhall, Bath. View directions

Contact: Ann Swabey  01225 394416

Items
No. Item

59.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

Minutes:

The Chair, Ms Deborah Russell, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

60.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the Agenda.

Minutes:

The clerk drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

61.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTION

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Sue Toland, B&NES councillors Eleanor Jackson and Nigel Roberts and Parish Councillors Veronica Packham, Nick Stevens, Reg Williams   

62.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Minutes:

There were none.

63.

TO ANNOUNCE ANY URGENT BUSINESS AGREED BY THE CHAIR

The Chair will announce any items of urgent business accepted since the agenda was prepared under the Access to Information provisions.

Minutes:

There was none.

64.

ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC - TO RECEIVE DEPUTATIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS OR QUESTIONS

Minutes:

There were none.

65.

ITEMS FROM COUNCILLORS AND CO-OPTED AND ADDED MEMBERS RELATING TO THE GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEE

Minutes:

There were none.

66.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 13TH DECEMBER 2012 pdf icon PDF 31 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of 13th December 2012 as a correct record.  

Minutes:

Consideration of these minutes was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.  

67.

COMPLAINT AGAINST A COUNCILLOR - 10-12 B&NES pdf icon PDF 46 KB

The Committee will, in the first instance, consider the Public Interest Test (Appendix 1) as to whether the press and public should be excluded for this item.

 

The Committee is then asked to determine the complaint (Appendix 2).

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which detailed a complaint that alleged that Councillor X had breached the Code of Conduct.

 

The Chair asked the Committee Members, with reference to Appendix 1 of the report (Exclusion of access by the public to Council meetings), whether they wished the complaint to be heard in private session. On a proposal by Councillor Palmer, seconded by Councillor Bevan, it was agreed that the hearing would be heard in private.

 

The Committee agreed that the hearing process would follow the Local Hearings Procedure.

 

Following the hearing, the Committee adjourned to make its decision. The Committee then re-convened and the Chair announced the decision in the presence of the complainant and Councillor X.

 

Decision

 

1)  With regard to the issue of Councillor X’s ownership of a parcel of land, the Committee decided that he had not breached the Code of Conduct and that he should be exonerated in respect of that part of the complaint.

 

2)  With regard to the issue of the house which is owned by a relative of Councillor X, the Committee found that Councillor X had failed to comply with the Code of Conduct. At the Development Control Committee on 26th September 2012, at which a planning application relating to the house was considered, Councillor X should have declared a non-disclosable pecuniary or other interest in the light of his family connection and should not have spoken or voted on the application.

 

The Committee therefore recommends to Council that Councillor X be censured.