Agenda item

If a member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Legal and 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.         All Members present declared a pecuniary interest in item 9 ‘Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021/22 and in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2021/22’, but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption. 

2.         a)    Councillors Ashcroft, Mrs Blake, Blane, Dereli, Gordon, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Moran, Owen, Pope, Sutton and Whittington declared a pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2021/22’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2021-22’ in relation to Parish Council matters in view of their membership of a Parish Council and indicated they would not participate in any detailed discussions which affected the finances of those bodies specifically.* 

            b)     Councillors Aldridge and O’Toole declared a pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2021/22’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2021-22’, as Members of Lancashire County Council (LCC) as did Councillors Coughlan, Cummins and Gagen as employees of LCC, and indicated that they would not participate in any detailed discussions which affected LCC.*

c)     Councillor Coughlan declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2021/22’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2021-22’in respect of his appointment to West Lancashire Community Leisure.*

* 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 Ashcroft, Mrs Blake, Blane, Dereli, Gordon, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Moran, Owen, Pope, Sutton and Whittington declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2021/22’ in view of their membership of a Parish Council. 

4.         Councillors Aldridge and Pope declared a non pecuniary interest in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2021/22’, item 18 (d) 'West Lancashire water level management - Motion', as Members of Lancashire County Council, as did Councillors Coughlan, Cummins and Gagen as an employee of Lancashire County Council.

5.         Councillors Delaney, Devine, Owen, Nixon, West and J Wilkie (Tenant of a Council flat/house) Coughlan and Gregson (Tenants of a Council garage) declared disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme and item 14 ‘Housing Account – Revenue and Capital Programme’ 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).

6.         Councillors Aldridge, Blane, Cooper, Gregson, Mee, Nixon, Sutton, K Wilkie and Wright declared non-pecuniary interests in relation to item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme and item 14 ‘Housing Account – Revenue and Capital Programme’ as they have a connected person who is a tenant of rented Council accommodation. Insofar as that interest becomes a pecuniary interest (as it would 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.

7.         Councillor Pope declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8 ‘Pay Policy Statement 2021/22’ as a member of the Lancashire County Council Pension Fund Committee.

8.         Councillor O’Toole declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2021/22’ as a Member of Lancashire Combined Fire & Rescue Authority and Councillor Wilkie as an employee.

9.         Councillor Dowling declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2021/22' as a member appointed to the Police and Crime Panel, as did Councillor Baybutt as her son is a police officer in Lancashire Constabulary..

10.      The following members declared interests in relation to item 18 (e) 'Local NHS services - 'Shaping Care Together' for the reasons indicated:

·         Councillors Johnson and Thompson declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in in view of their employment with the NHS and indicated that they would leave the meeting whilst the item was under consideration

·         Councillor Wright declared a declare a disclosable pecuniary interest (by virtue of his and his wife's employment with the NHS and also a pecuniary interest in relation to his daughter's employment with the NHSand indicated that he would leave the meeting whilst the item was under consideration

·         Councillor Nixon declared a pecuniary interest in view of her daughter's employment with the NHS and indicated that she would leave the meeting whilst the item was under consideration.

·         Councillor Gregson declared a non-pecuniary interest in view of her employment with the Track and Trace Team.