Issue - meetings

If a member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Legal & Democratic Services Manager in advance of the meeting.  (For the assistance of members a checklist for use in considering their position on any particular item is included at the end of this agenda sheet.)

The following declarations were received:

1.         Councillors Aldridge and O’Toole declared a non pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 8 'Approval of revised Statement of Licensing Policy Required by the Licensing Act 2003' and agenda item 12 'Parish and Town Council Charter for West Lancashire - Review', as Members of Lancashire County Council (LCC), as did Councillors Coughlan and Gagen as employees of LCC, and indicated that they would not participate in any detailed discussions which affected LCC.

2.         Councillors Ashcroft, Mrs Blake, Dereli, Gordon, Mee, Moran, Owen, Pope, Ms Sutton and Whittington declared a pecuniary / non pecuniary interest in relation to Agenda Item 11 'Revised Capital Programme', agenda item 12 'Parish and Town Charter and item 8 'Approval of revised Statement of Licensing Policy Required by the Licensing Act 2003' as Members of a Parish Council and indicated they would not participate in any detailed discussions which affected the finances of those bodies specifically.*

* By virtue of a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee all Councillors who have disclosable pecuniary or pecuniary interests in relation to relevant lines in the budget may participate and vote in the budget debates but not engage in detailed discussions about matters which affect those interests.

3.         Councillors Delaney, Devine, Owen, Nixon, West and J Wilkie (Tenant of a Council flat/house) Aldridge and Coughlan (Tenant of a Council garage) declared disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to item 9 ‘HRA Revenue and Capital Mid-Year Review’ for the reasons indicated but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption (nothing in these reports relates particularly to their respective interests arising from the tenancy or lease).

4.         Councillors Aldridge, Mee and Wright declared non-pecuniary interests in relation to item 9 ‘HRA Revenue and Capital Mid-Year Review’ as they have a connected person who is a tenant of rented Council accommodation. Insofar as that interest becomes a pecuniary interest (as it could affect the financial position of their relative and a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard this as so significant that it is likely to prejudice their judgement of the public interest) they declared that interest but considered that they were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption as nothing in these reports relates particularly to the relevant tenancy or lease.