Agenda item

Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee considered the report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor on the general policy on granting dispensations under the Localism Act 2011.

A Co-opted Member put forward the view that some additional relevant information is required by committee members when assessing dispensation requests, such as committee composition, quorum, number of conflicted members, etc if that information was known. He asked that these details be added to the usual dispensations report ‘template’ going forward. The Co-opted Member put forward the view that a dispensation to vote needed to clear a ‘higher hurdle’ than a dispensation for speaking rights only.

It was noted that a number of recent dispensation requests had been approved for speaking only rights and for a specific meeting. A Member commented that a blanket exemption until next ward elections would usually seem less appropriate than one for ‘specific meetings only’ in the vast majority of instances and that although the boxes currently contained on the application form for ‘until next ward election’ should probably be retained, encouragement should be given to using them sparingly.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and contents noted.