Agenda, decisions and minutes

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Reverend John Cree (Independent Member).  

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

In accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillors Judith Boothman and Alan Cain declared a personal interest in relation to the request for a dispensation from Members of Chorley Borough Council included on the meetings agenda for determination.

Members of Chorley Borough Council have made a request to the Standards Committee for a dispensation allowing participation in Council meetings at which matters relating to the concessionary travel scheme are discussed. 

The Standards Committee will determine whether a dispensation is to be granted. 

That a dispensation be granted to the 3 additional Members of the Council who had applied for a dispensationallowing participation in Council meetings at which matters relating to the concessionary travel scheme are to be discussed for a three year period.

(Councillors Judith Boothman and Alan Cain declared a personal interest in the following item).

The Committee considered a request for a dispensation from three Members of Chorley Borough Council allowing participation in Council meetings at which matters relating to the concessionary travel scheme are discussed.  

The Committee noted that the request was a continuation of the request for a dispensation dealt with at the previous meeting of the Committee relating to an item where over half of the Councillors would have a personal and potentially a prejudicial interest.  The Committee discussed the request in full. 

The Committee noted that there was a need to have regard to the request for the dispensation, the reasons for the request and the fact that the Council would be impeded in conducting its business if more than half of the members had to declare a prejudicial interest.  

The request was as follows: “I hereby apply to the Standards Committee for a dispensation allowing me to participate in Council meetings at which matters relating to the concessionary travel scheme are to be discussed.

“I believe this dispensation is desirable because of the number of Members of the Council who would be prevented from participating in such debates without there being a dispensation.  The Code of Conduct already allows Members to participate in some similar situations, for example, with regard to parents whose children attend school and debates relating to school meals.  Therefore, there is a precedent for Members being able to participate in this type of situation”.

RESOLVED - That a dispensation be granted to the 3 additional Members of the Council who had applied for a dispensation allowing participation in Council meetings at which matters relating to the concessionary travel scheme are to be discussed for a three year period.