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 2020/21 and in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2020/21’, but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption. 

2.         a)    Councillors Ashcroft, Mrs Blake, Blane, Blundell, Dereli, Gordon, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Moran, Owen, Pope, Ms Sutton and Whittington declared a pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2020/21’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2020-21’ 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, O’Toole and Pope declared a pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2020/21’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2020-21’, 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.*

c)     Councillor Coughlan declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to relevant lines in the budget in respect of item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2020/21’ and item 13 ‘Medium Term Capital Programme 2020-21’in respect of his appointment to West Lancashire Community Leisure.*

d)      Councillor Whittington declared a pecuniary interest in relation item 11 ‘Budget Requirement 2020/21’ in respect of the ‘Community Grants’ as his wife is a trustee of Citizens Advice Lancashire and this body had been recommended to receive funding for 2020/21:*

* 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, Blundell, Dereli, Gordon, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Moran, Owen, Pope, Ms Sutton and Whittington declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2020/21’ in view of their membership of a Parish Council. 

4.         Councillors Aldridge, O’Toole and Pope declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2020/21’, item 24(a) 'Jacobs Report on Drainage Motion', as Members of Lancashire County Council, as did Councillors Coughlan and Gagen as an employee of Lancashire County Council.

5.         Councillors Delaney, Devine, Owen, Nixon, West J Wilkie and K Wilkie (Tenant of a Council flat/house) Aldridge, 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, R Cooper, Gregson, Mee 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.         Councillors Pope and Moran declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8 ‘Pay Policy Statement 2020/21’ as members 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 2020/21’ as a Member of Lancashire Combined Fire & Rescue Authority and Councillor Wilkie as an employee.

9.         Councillor Wright declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 12 ‘Determination of Council Tax 2020/21' as a member appointed to the Police and Crime Panel.