Issue - meetings

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/orif it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Members were asked by the Mayor to declare any personal interest in respect of items on the agenda.  In accordance with Part 2 of the Members Code of Conduct set out in the Council Constitution, any Member disclosing a personal interest which was also prejudicial would be asked to withdraw from the Chamber during consideration of the item and neither were they to seek to improperly influence a decision on the said item.

Councillor Dobbie declared a personal interest in respect of Item 13 as a Council tenant of the Borough.

Councillor Aitken declared a personal interest in respect of Item 13 as a Council tenant of the Borough.

Councillor Thompson declared a personal interest in respect of Item 13 as a Council tenant of the Borough.

Members were also asked by the Mayor to consider whether they needed to make a declaration in accordance with Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act in relation to unpaid community charge or council tax liability which was two months or more outstanding.

The Mayor advised that those Members to whom this applied must make a declaration if they were present at any part of the meeting and must not vote on any matter relating to the budget, and that it was not sufficient for such members to refrain from voting or to absent themselves from the chamber for particular parts of the meeting.

There were no declarations.