Decisions upon requests for Dispensation from the Code of Conduct:

The Council’s Monitoring Officer is responsible for determining whether to grant a dispensation to enable a Member or Members to speak and vote on a matter, albeit that the Member or Members has/have a Discloseable Pecuniary Interest.  Before doing so, the Monitoring Officer will consult the Independent Person.

 The Monitoring Officer is permitted to grant a dispensation for a specified period of time not exceeding 4 years in the following circumstances:

 (i)            That so many members of the decision-making body have Discloseable Personal Interests in a matter that it would “impede the transaction of the business”. In practice this means that the decision-making body would be inquorate as a result;

 (ii)           That, without the dispensation, the representation of different political groups on the body transacting the business would be so upset as to alter the outcome of any vote on the matter;

 (iii)          That the Monitoring Officer considers that the dispensation is in the interests of persons living in the authority’s area;

 (iv)          That the Monitoring Officer considers that it is otherwise appropriate to grant a dispensation.

20130228 DispensationAllmembers.pdf

20171123 DispensationAllmembers