Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that at its meeting held on the 11^th September, 2015 (minute 11 refers) it had granted dispensation, until 11^th March, 2016, to the following 15 members of Gorslas Community Council to speak and vote at meetings of the Community Council, under the provisions of the Standards Committees (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 in relation to any discussions regarding the three recreation parks owned and maintained by the Community Council:-

Cefneithin Park:- Councillors S.D. Martin, T. Jones, H. Davies, B. Kirby and D. Price.

Drefach Park:- Councillors D.W. Edwards, C. Green, A. Rees, T. Jukes and N. Lewis

Gorslas Park:- T. Davies, A. Owen, J.A. Price, E. Davies and G. Griffiths

The Committee was advised that subsequent to the above, an application had been submitted by the Clerk to Gorslas Community Council, on behalf of the same councillors, seeking an extension of the dispensation and requesting that if the Committee were to be minded to grant the application then, in view of the continuing nature of the interest, the grant be for the reminder of the Councillors current term of office i.e. until the local government elections in May 2017.

It was reported that the renewed dispensation was sought on the basis that all 15 councillors had a personal interest in these matters pursuant to paragraph 10(2)(ix)(ee) of the Code in that they were members of local Welfare Association Committees involved in the running of those parks, but that they had not been appointed to their roles on those committees by the Community Council.

The Councillors’ interests were also prejudicial as a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard that interest as so significant that it was likely to prejudice the councillors’ judgement of the public interest.  For example, when the Community Council was deciding whether or not to spend monies on the parks, a member of the public could reasonably conclude that the fact a councillor was a member of the relevant Welfare Association Committee could influence their view as to whether the money should be spent on the park, or on some other issue unconnected with the Association.  It was noted that the councillors had no direct financial interest in their respective Welfare Associations.

The Committee was advised that if it was minded to grant the renewal applications it could do so pursuant to 2(a) of the Standards Committees (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001 in that the interest affected no fewer than half the members of the Authority

Following a detailed discussion, it was

RESOLVED that pursuant to Regulation 2(a) of the Standards Committees (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001, dispensation be granted to the above-named 15 members of Gorslas Community Council until the end of their current term of office at the Local Government Elections in May, 2017 to SPEAK AND VOTE at meetings of Gorslas Community Council in relation to any discussions regarding their respective membership of the relevant Welfare Association for the three recreation parks owned and maintained by the Community Council at Cefneithin, Drefach and Gorslas.