Decision details

The Committee considered a request to amend a dispensation granted to Councillor Mark Davies under section 33 of the Localism Act 2011 to allow participation in meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Scrutiny Select Committees where the Local Plan was under discussion.

A dispensation granted on 19 June 2019, effective until the next local elections in May 2023, required amendment to reflect the revised governance changes implemented in May 2022.  In particular, the newly established Scrutiny Select Committees were not covered by this dispensation. 

As the proposed amendment sought only to update the existing dispensation in response to recent changes to the governance structure, the Monitoring Officer had no objections.  This view was supported by the General Purposes Committee.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the request to amend the dispensation granted to Councillor Mark Davis be approved to read as follows:

‘a dispensation be granted to allow Councillor Mark Davis to remain in the meetings of the Area Planning Committees, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, any of the Scrutiny Select Committees, Cabinet and Full Council where the Local Plan is discussed (in circumstances where he would otherwise be required to declare an Other Significant Interest) to listen to, but not participate in, the debate or vote on the matter in hand.  In addition, Councillor Mark Davis will have the right to address the meeting but will not be permitted to take part further in the discussions’

(2)            the amended dispensation should remain in effect until the next local elections in May 2023.