Agenda item

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Human Resources which sought approval of a revised Declaration of Interests and separate Register of Interests process for Chief Officers and Senior Managers at Grades I and J.

There was broad support for the introduction of new requirements for Chief Officers and Senior Managers at Grades I and J, although some Members commented that clarification was required in respect of a number of new areas which would require declaration including securities, voluntary commitments and outside interests. It was also suggested that reference to Trade Association membership was inaccurate as individuals could generally not belong to trade associations. Whilst it was noted that this wording reflected that within the Members’ Code of conduct, the Director of HR and the Comptroller and City Solicitor undertook to review the wording and ensure that this was revised as necessary whilst seeking to keep the officer requirements as close to the Member requirements. In respect of securities, the guidance would be clear about nominal values and relationships with individual/multiple companies.

A Member referred to the completion rate by officers and Members in respect of the Related Party Transaction forms and queried how the new declaration process would be managed and declarations appropriately updated.  It was noted that completion of the declarations was a condition of employment and all officers at Grades I and J would be required to make a declaration annually, even if there was a nil declaration.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

a)    approve the revised Declaration of Interests and a separate Register of Interests process for Chief Officers and Senior Managers at Grades I & J; subject to clarification and revision within the policy and the guidance on securities, trade union and trade association membership, outside/voluntary interests; and

b)    note the revised breakdown of disclosure requirements illustrated in the Declaration and Register of Interests Summary Table; and the Declaration and Register of Interests Managers’ Guidance, both appended to the report before Members and subject to minor revision by the Director of HR and the Comptroller and City Solicitor (as above).